No Longer a Child
by Piratechief
Summary: A trip to Lydia's mirror turns everything upside down for Beetlejuice. Rated for groping, and B/L smex. Toonversion
1. All Grown Up

A/N: This is only intended to be a one-shot to get the idea out of my head. But if I get over 15 reviews then I will make it a full blown chaptered story. Enjoy!

Lydia's mirror was a sacred place. Or at least, sacred to the self proclaimed ghost-with-the-most. To any other viewer (whether it be on her side or his), it was nothing but a thick slab of glass encased in an oval shaped hunk of wood. But not many others viewed said mirror anyway, for not many had the opportunity (or guts) to grace Lydia's room with their presence. Not that there was any problem with that. In fact, most would say they both preferred it that way. But back to the point.

Beetlejuice had made it clear to Lydia from the very first day that he would always be there waiting after school. And true to his word, the mischievous poltergeist never missed a day. Over the years it had become quite the habit, and one he never intended to break (but one would probably question when had he even bothered with any of the others). It was almost second nature, his body moving on its own as his internal clock rang three thirty and floating towards his link to the other side.

To him, it was just another regular day. He quietly hummed to himself, for once taking his time instead of rushing over straight away. Nothing had happened so far so he really had no reason to be in a hurry and tell her all about his day. But if only he had not been so relaxed that day and taken it slow, or better yet, he probably shouldn't have come at all. It would have spared him the confusion, heart ache, and buying a new pair of pants.

With an almost out-of-character calmness, Beetlejuice opened the portal to Lydia's mirror, for once not making a grand entrance of disgusting noises and terrible puns. The space in front of him rippled, turning hazy as he faded into existence on the glass of her mirror. Lydia stood in the middle of her room, looking around and not noticing him. He was about to call her name when some one suddenly beat him to it.

"Lydia! Can I come in now?"

Beetlejuice stopped, mouth hanging open and fingered poised in front of him. That wasn't the shrill feminine voice of Delia…it was male. And not even the gentle (albeit cautious) voice of her father. This one was deeper, huskier, and addressed Lydia with more familiarity than Beetlejuice was comfortable with. Who the hell was it?

Lydia turned to the door with a smile, still ignorant of the ghost's presence.

"Yeah, you can come in."

Her voice was one of…relief? What on earth was making her hair stand on end anyway? Was she expecting him to scare her? No, she knew him better than himself, and that's saying something. And her smile…it was one he had never seen before. It was one that held a unique gentleness, an emotion he could not really place. Sure, she had many smiles. The tolerant one to appease her parents and friends, the shy one when she knew she was in trouble, the excited one when she found something new and otherworldly, and the one given only to him. His smile was one filled with patience and a fondness that only Lydia could give.

But this…this _new_ smile…it was a bit unnerving. Unnerving only because he had never seen it before. Eventually he would get used to it…or not. It was so confusing! He couldn't decide whether he liked it or not, so going invisible as so not to get caught, Beetlejuice waited to see the source of his arising troubles.

The door opened and shut, foot steps were heard and then the voice appeared again.

"Geez, no wonder you won't allow me in here. It's a dump!"

What he saw made Beej's eyes pop out of their sockets and his jaw dropped to his feet with a sickening crack.

A boy, no, a _man_ walked into view with an ice pack pressed loosely to his face. He had shaggy jet black hair that spiked out stylishly at the base of his neck and on the sides of his head with bangs brushing just his above piercing blue eyes. The clothes were simple enough, a black skin tight t-shirt that showed, without question, that he worked out and loose fitting blue jeans. He was clean shaven, but had a permanent shadow along his jaw that stuck out even against his tan. Then his glittering eyes landed on Lydia, and he smiled, but even to Beetlejuice it was intimidating. The straight teeth were polished and shiny, the canines sharper than what was considered normal, and it made him look like a wolf. A wolf starving for Lydia.

"Yeah, and it will be the last time you see it if you keep up those remarks," she replied with an annoyed but teasing tone. The one she only used for **him**.

Furious that she would use it on this other guy Beetlejuice watched on as the man had the **audacity** to fling himself onto **her** bed and lay there as if he **owned** it. The look he was giving her was not one he liked, and he wondered if this man was sick in the head. What was he doing hanging around an under aged little girl? If Beetlejuice would have replayed those words and thought for a moment, he would have almost admitted to being a hypocrite. But right now, he was barely able to wrap his mind around what was happening.

"Hey now, don't go shifting any negativity my way. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have gotten a base-ball implanted into my face," the man shot back with a mock look of accusation.

Lydia gave him a smirk, yet another emotion in her eyes that Beej couldn't place (or really just hadn't seen on her), and he watched as she sauntered over to the bed. Okay, now she walked different? What the hell was going on?

"And how exactly was it my fault?" she questioned, stopping a few inches away.

The man grinned wolfishly at her, quite literally, and let his eyes rove up and down her body.

"Seriously? That skimpy little school girl out fit you wear is enough to stop anyone dead in their tracks."

Ooo, now the guy was dead…If Beetlejuice wasn't angry enough, he was really boiling now. How dare he talk about a little girl like that! Of all the perverse, sick, twisted…!

And then Beetlejuice went into shock as Lydia suddenly launched herself onto the man. She straightened up, straddling his waist and placing her hands onto his chest in a very suggestive way.

"Aww, poor you," she cooed. "Tell me where it hurts, I'll make it better."

Her tone was torture to his ears! It was madness! It was…seductive!

WHAT THE FUCK WAS GOING ON?

And then he stopped, eyes widening as realization slowly dawned. That was not the voice of a twelve year old girl. It was huskier, more womanly and developed. He stared at the sudden stranger on top of the other person. She was taller, however still petite, and her hair hung down to the middle of her back. Her face was thinner, baby fat still visible but diminishing fast, and eyes somehow more mature. His eyes slinked lower, down her slender neck and over the perky lumps (he lingered here) where it had once been flat, scanning quickly over the longer arms and bulging at the shapely legs.

This was not Lydia Deetz, best friend and partner-in-crime.

This was Lydia Deetz, best friend and smoking-hot-holy-fuck-what-the-fuck-happened-partner-in-crime.

She had grown up without him knowing, and he had been there all the way.

How in the hell had this slipped by without notice?

"Here," came a fake innocent voice that affectedly broke Beetlejuice out of his reverie.

As this new revelation washed over him he watched the grown-up Lydia grin and bend down to give the man a peck on his cheek. It was different than the ones she gave him. This one was quick as the ones he received, but she lingered over his cheek, rubbing her nose against his face in a sensual way.

"And here," he continued, pointing to the corner of his mouth.

Lydia obliged him but still did not move more than a centimeter from his face.

"Any where else?"

He grinned, and then pointed to his lips. Lydia smiled and lightly brushed hers over his. It was teasing, and continued that way until she fully pressed herself to him.

Beetlejuice swallowed, unconsciously breathing even though he didn't need to.

_I shouldn't be watching this. I should just turn now and never look back…forget that it even happened…_

But the simple fact was that he **couldn't**. Not even his will power spoke up, watching the thought bubbles form in Beetlejuice's mind and secretly enjoying the show as well.

Beetlejuice tried to reign in his imagination, he really did, but as soon as that creep slithered his tongue into Lydia's mouth, images of himself doing the exact same thing to her began flowing freely through his mind.

_Oh fuck! No!_

He smacked his hands over his face in shame. How could one minute he be seeing her as the twelve year old she had always been and then a woman he could kiss senseless until she was begging the next? If anyone was the twisted, perverted sicko here, it was him.

His attention was again diverted to the scene in front of him when Lydia moaned, ending it in a husky chuckle. He never knew she could make a sound like that…

Lydia sat up, wiping a bit of slobber from the corner of her cheek and grimacing.

"Nice, a big wet one."

"You love it," he grinned, shifting under her.

She suddenly smiled and put her still-small hands on his shoulders.

"Feels like someone's excited," she said, and at the same time ground against him.

Beetlejuice and the man grunted at the same time. His striped pants began to grow tighter, and he let out a whimper of fear. He was getting turned on by just watching that one fluid movement, and it sickened him to know end.

A mischievous gleam appeared and before she knew it Lydia laid pinned beneath him. The man's hands quickly bunched up her shirt, just enough for Beej to catch a glimpse of her lacey bra.

"Now let's see if some one else…is…excited…"

He lowered his head further with each pause, and before Lydia realized what he was going to do, it was too late. With a final grin he swooped down and blew hard on her belly, the sound loud and obnoxiously wet. She squealed with laughter, scurrying away and fleeing to the head board. Beetlejuice was broken out of his sexual spell long enough to watch them play a game of cat and mouse.

"Running away? What an **asinine** idea!"

He tackled her and punctuated his statement buy biting her butt. Lydia gasped and Beetlejuice sneered. What a lame pun…And when the hell did she grow that steaming hot piece of ass?

Lydia was again pinned, but this time the man was behind her, and Lydia's new-found body was now faced towards Beetlejuice.

"So, who's this…**best friend** that you refuse to introduce me to?"

Beetlejuice perked up, curious to hear her answer.

"A guy I've known since I was twelve," she answered vaguely, gasping when he bit her ear in slight frustration.

"Really? You've known him for four years?"

Beej quickly did the math. _She's sixteen? Oh fuck…_

She only nodded, twitching in anticipation when his hand traveled slowly up her shirt.

"You wouldn't happen to be…cheating on me? Would ya?" His voice was menacing now, and at the word 'cheating', the hand that was now in her bra flicked the sensitive bud. She gasped, unknowingly smiling and trying to lean further into his touch.

"Never," she said trying to sound serious, but the smile was evident in her voice.

Beetlejuice pressed his hands to the glass, followed shortly by his face. His tongue slithered out on its own, trying to mimic the man now slobbering on Lydia's neck, only to be met by the cold, unwelcoming feel of glass. He narrowed his eyes at the barrier that prevented him from pulverizing the slime ball and taking Lydia on a ride she would never forget. He was long gone now, over the perverse guilt of lusting after his best friend. His own sense of logic was now in position. If any one was good enough to touch her (hell, even look at her) like that, it was him. **He **was her best friend, therefore the only one really worthy of being intimate with her. Not this fuck face.

Lydia was **his** and **no one** else's!

"Well then, tell me his name," the (now dubbed) fuck face continued, interrogating. His hand moved away from her breasts, sliding into her skirt and rubbing her most sensitive place.

"Beej!" she almost screamed, convulsing forward and staring straight into the mirror.

For a moment, Beetlejuice thought she knew he was there and moaning **his** name in pleasure rather than fuck face. This made him involuntary grind his hips into the barrier, his erection straining for her.

_Babes, you're gonna fuck'n kill me again!_

Fuck face made a face of disbelief, emphasizing it by rubbing her roughly. Lydia let out a hoarse moan, eyes rolling back slightly in intense pleasure. Beetlejuice watched on, a hand snaking down to grab himself.

_Damn Lyds, you're so fucking sensitive!_

"Come on Lydia, even I don't believe that."

Beetlejuice grinned. What was he implying? That he was stupid? But as funny as it was, he really wanted to make him shut up. Lydia was the only one he wanted to hear while touching himself.

"G-Gage, I s-swear it's the truth!" she screamed, barely able to get the words out in a coherent sentence. Beetlejuice grunted, wishing she'd scream louder as he watched her buck and writhe, imagining it to be his hand she was riding.

He knew immediately when a finger was entered, the discomfort that distorted her features said it all.

"Damn, you're so tight," Gage stated, a grin of pure lust taking over.

Beetlejuice was about to get angry all over again but stopped himself when her moans continued. With a sigh of relief he began rubbing himself through his pants again, having stopped only because he hadn't wanted to masturbate to her pain. Pre-cum stained his pants already, and for one insane moment he remember Lyds asking about a ghost's fluids.

He had explained that, yes, when someone died all fluids flee their body. But in the Neitherworld it was not their bodies that inhabited the place but physical forms of their soul. So all the nasty liquids she had seen and felt were just parts of the physical soul left behind. Then she had asked how Neitherworld babies were made, and remembered his reply as clear as day.

"_Pretty much babes, deadbeats like us can only produce with other dead beats since it's the merging of souls to create another, or some shit like that. So if a ghosts gets with a livebeat like yourself, it's feels better."_

"_And why would it feel better?"_

"_Don't gotta use condoms."_

It was the first time he had every really been perverse around her. And that was, what? A year ago? She was fifteen then…

He gasped and squeezed himself harder at yet another revelation.

Could she have…could she have been wondering what it would be like to have sex with a ghost? Or more specifically…him? Just the thought almost made him cum right there, and he hadn't even touched himself directly! Focusing back on the object his desire he came to a conclusion. Reluctantly (and I mean veeeeeeeeery reluctantly) Beetlejuice pulled his hand away and leaned heavily against the barrier.

He was not going to cum to another man giving **his** babes pleasure. She was going to beg at **his** hand sometime or another. But for now, he just stood and watched the painful sight of Lydia's small form bucking and heaving in the most erotic way possible. She was close, he knew, and it was almost unbearable to wait for her to call a name, any name. Some small part hoped it would be his, but that was the least likely of all.

"Come on Babes," Gage whispered hoarsely, biting down on the juncture between he neck and shoulder. Hard.

Beetlejuice's anger at his pet name being rolled off the fuck's lips drowned in Lydia's screams of ecstasy. And that was all she did, scream. No name, no sign of any particular man on her mind. He sagged in relief. It seemed he was still in the game.

The sound of a zipper caught his attention and his head snapped back up. Gage had slid off the skirt and now worked on her panties, hovering over her with his penis out and fully erect.

Jealousy and hate hot as molten lava burned through his entire being, and dare he admit it, a smidgen of betrayal. All reason began to vanish as Lydia lay there in a daze, seemingly unaware of what was about to happen…or has happened…

_FUCK! I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON ANYMORE! FUCK FACE IS ABOUT TO FUCKING FUCK LYDIA! I'M GONNA KILL HIM I'M GONNA KILL HIM I'M GONNA KILL HIM HE'S GONNA FUCK'N DIE!_

And just as Gage put himself to her entrance, just when Beetlejuice's world was about to crumble, Lydia whispered…

"Wait!"

It was quiet, and just as breathless, but it was rejection just the same, and that was all that need to be said.

Gage closed his eyes, his head falling down with a laugh.

"Almost," he simply stated, leaning down for a kiss.

"Yeah, almost," Lydia agreed with a smile.

Beetlejuice (feeling as if his heart had started beating again the moment had been so intense) continued to watch this new development.

"I cheated a little that time," Gage declared sheepishly, rolling to lay beside her.

"Yeah, I noticed."

Her voice was laced with pleasure, the afterglow still in her system, but an undertone of warning laid there as well. He gave her a pitiful look, silently begging forgiveness like Beetlejuice had so many times before. It worked, like he knew it would, and she accepted the apology with a kiss, her hand snaking down below his chest.

"Would you like me to help you before you leave?" she asked seductively.

Gage wanted it, Beej could tell, but with more balls than he'd give any human credit for Gage grabbed her hand and gave it a quick kiss before standing up.

"I don't deserve it, for what I did. I'll suffer."

Lydia watched him tuck his erection back in and then sit back down next to her. She wrapped her arms around him from behind again, kissing multiple trails along his neck and shoulders. And then suddenly, any lightness of the atmosphere disappeared as Gage turned serious.

"This is getting dangerous Lydia, I don't know how much longer I'll be able to hold myself back."

"You started it," was her muffled reply.

"Yeah, but…when can I meet this friend?" He turned to her then, taking up her hands in his.

"You said we could be together as long as it was okay with him. I want to go out on dates baby, not sneak around for kisses, a couple gropes here, and an orgasm or two there. If you don't think he would approve of us dating, how can you even think he'd be okay with us dry humping each other secretly?"

Beetlejuice froze at his words, eyes snapping towards his babes' flustered face.

_What! They're not…together? They're just fool'n around? But that can't be right! Lyds ain't a whore!_

"You really want to know?" she asked, her face flaming with embarrassment.

Gage and Beetlejuice (unseen) nodded.

Lydia stalled by rubbing her arms, working up the courage to finally say something even **she** thought was terrible.

"Beej is a really fun guy, always letting loose and nothing ever gets to him. Except…when it comes to me. Our friendship means everything to him, and I don't want to lose it. He has flings, I know, but never anything serious. Nothing that would ever come between us. So I figured…if I never really got into an official relationship that would get in the way of our time together…then he would be fine with it."

Beetlejuice had been nodding along all the way until she got to the last part. It horrified him to know just how much of her he had tainted because of their friendship. But another part of him was slightly happy. One reason was because there was still some of that long forgotten naiveté of how things worked stored within her that he had loved as part of her innocence. The other reason was because of how much she truly cared about their friendship, and was so afraid to ruin it she felt the need to sneak around so that he wouldn't end up getting hurt.

Gage, however, did not take the situation so well.

"So that's all I am? I'm just someone to sneak around with because some other controlling guy is obsessed with you? Is that really all you want from me?"

His voice was disbelieving, almost pleading as he looked to her for any signs of denial.

She was quick to please.

"Gage, no! Please believe me, you're more than that to me! I really care about you, honestly!" She paused then, waiting for him to believe her before continuing. "I promise then. This weekend, come over and I'll introduce you two."

She was serious, Beetlejuice knew because she never back out of a promise. But now it was up to Gage…

He studied her, eyes drinking in every sincere thing about her. Finally he sighed, a smile pulling at his lips.

"Thank you. But…is there another reason why you don't want me to meet him?"

Beetlejuice was surprised at that. Was there another reason?

Lydia smiled, pulling him in for one more kiss before dressing.

"Yeah, because you look like you're in your mid twenties when you're really seventeen. I don't know how he would react to your looks."

They laughed and talked awhile longer before he left. Lydia didn't immediately call him afterwards. He watched with some amusement as she sprayed air freshener all around until she couldn't stand it herself. Silly girl…as if he couldn't pick up the sent of lady juices from a mile away.

But this hesitation gave him time to think. Lydia seemed to actually like this guy, and it was up to him whether or not it was acceptable. Well, that could work in his favor. He'd start rubbing in the old juice charm and let the simple fact that she was **his** sink in. After all, it was only Monday, and he had the whole week to work. By Wednesday, she'll have forgotten about that chump.

And if not…well, that just wasn't an option.

A/N: I tried to make this T, but I decided half way to just fuck it. Not literally obviously since Beetlejuice didn't tear the kid limb from limb. Remember, 15 reviews and then it becomes a story.


	2. Authors Note

A/N: Don't worry guys, I'm going to continue this shortly. I realized shortly after 5 reviews that I was going to continue and sorry I haven't notified you all earlier. One commenter helped me realize that asking for reviews was very rude, and I apologize. Bear with me, the next chapter of this will come soon.


	3. A Day at the Mall

**A/N: Geez, I promised this a long time ago and then completely forgot about it. Guess I was just excited that it was almost summer break. But now it's here! So I have no excuse…so, sorry for the wait (the long, long, long wait) but now I'm back. R&R**

**PS: I'm not too happy with this chapter. I feel like I rushed a lot of things. So, if you see something that sucks, please don't hesitate to inform me.**

He couldn't do it.

It was impossible.

He could not seduce his best friend.

At first, in the heat of the moment, he thought it was a great plan. Maybe the best plan he'd ever had. But as time passed and she still didn't call him, Beetlejuice had begun to grow cold feet. And so that's why, a couple hours after the event, he stood in the middle of his living dead room with a blow dryer, melting the ice caked onto his boots.

He could have just juiced it away, a snap of the fingers and a little magic, but today he didn't feel like it. It's not like he had to go to Lydia at that very moment anyway. She could call him anytime she wanted.

He wasn't stalling. Not at all.

And then there was a familiar tug, the gentle one he had learned long ago was the call of his best friend. He sucked in his breath as a second one caressed his mind, followed (none too hurriedly he thought with a grunt) by a third. His world whipped wildly around him as he crossed the threshold between the two worlds, and where he had once been staring at a wall became the face of a doe eyed beauty. **His** doe eyed beauty to be exact.

She smiled, flashing her pearly whites that had once held braces and the constant source of his teasing. It was one of her smiles he rarely saw when he himself wasn't the cause of it. Usually, seeing it would bring out a smirk of triumph. But now knowing that he had to share it made his ectoplasm boil.

"Beej!" she exclaimed, bounding over and into his chest. Her tiny arms wrapped around his slight pudge and her face nestled just under his chin.

Wow, she really had grown.

"Hey babes," he said, slightly weary about returning the hug.

Lydia immediately sensed something was up and gave him a questioning look. The look, something that usually made him spill the beans due to its irritable cuteness, now made him slightly hot under the collar. And if that wasn't bad enough, she squeezed him tighter, causing all of her newly discovered curves to press into his body.

"What's wrong Beej?" she asked innocently, completely oblivious to the problem she was causing. Beetlejuice gave her a sheepish smile, a stray beetle wiggling around distracting her enough for him to slip away.

"Wrong? Nuth'ns wrong babes. I just uh…think I got a cold. Yeah! And uh, I don't want ya to catch it is all."

He fake coughed for effect, but of course, Lydia's sense of reason overrode his lie.

"Beej, you're dead. You can't get sick."

"Nu-uh! Remember, ghost flu?" You could say he pulled that right out of his ass, but in fact, it came from a Casper cartoon.

"Ghost flu? Well, that does sound familiar," she admitted, unable to come up with where she'd heard of it before.

Beetlejuice nodded, smug smile set in place. It'd be awhile before she realized he'd lied, but he would worry about that later. Right now, he had to lay on some guilt, and lay it on thick. Slowly, he let his smile fade. A quick twitch of the eyebrow and he began floating around, sniffing everything in sight.

"Hey Lyds," he began, going over to her bed and burying his head in the sheets. "What's that smell?"

Lydia stiffened, looking absolutely terrified. Her inability to hide feelings from him always provided an unlimited source of entertainment. She quickly tried to hide it however, not knowing he already knew the truth to the lie poised on her tongue.

"Smell? Oh, um, Percy rolled in something and came in here. He stunk up the whole room so I used some air freshener."

Beetlejuice had to admit, the lie wasn't bad, but there was one obvious flaw. He knew Percy, and he knew that cat would never go near anything remotely disgusting. Lydia had pampered him too much, and now he was too much of a pompous pussy to do anything like that. He held back his smile though, continuing the charade.

"Mmm, nope, that's not it. It smells like…cologne or someth'n."

"You mean my perfume?" She was desperate now, because he knew very well she didn't wear perfume…

Until she pulled a bottle of it out of her dresser.

"It's probably this. A friend lent it to me yesterday and it must have gotten in the sheets last night."

Beetlejuice stared at the offending item, slightly scared and genuinely curious. When had she started wearing perfume? And again, why hadn't he noticed throughout the years? His nose was one of his most trusted assets, and he just couldn't believe how oblivious he'd been. He wasn't stupid, but man did he know how to mess up.

"Oh, speaking of friend…" she began, and Beetlejuice suddenly remembered what he was suppose to be doing. But before he could say anything, the phone cut him off.

Lydia smiled, jumping onto her bed to reach the skeleton phone (okay, he remembered her getting that) resting on her nightstand. Picking up the rib bone receiver, Beetlejuice watched in shock as Lydia began the conversation like a…a…_normal_ teenaged girl.

"Hey girl, what's up? No, I wasn't ditching. I swear I was gonna call you, I just completely forgot. Uh-huh…yeah…yeah I'm still up for it. An hour? Sure, I'll be ready. Oh, and tell Gabby she still owes me a milkshake. Bye."

Beetlejuice had been listening the whole time, growing ever more confused as he watched Lydia roll on the bed. First she'd be laying propped up on her elbows, legs bent and swinging in the air (this gave him a peek of the dark purple underwear that lay beneath her school skirt). Then she rolled onto her back, smiling and talking whilst staring at the ceiling. And then for the last bit of conversation she had sat up, legs sexily pulled to the side and head lightly resting on her shoulder, the position of her arm making her breasts squish together.

He had been growing more uncomfortable by the minute, and by the time she hung up, his pants were becoming a problem once again. Well, at least he had changed them from earlier…

And then she was looking at him, something he couldn't decipher. Then her face twisted into something decidedly guilty, an emotion he could hardly ever remember her wearing.

"Beej…you remember when I asked you not to follow me to school anymore?"

Yes, he did remember. It was after a rather nasty prank on her science teacher did she finally get mad at him. But hey, you couldn't really blame him. The man was preaching (completely off topic I might add) about how ghosts were not real. Beetlejuice just decided to give him a little shove in the other direction. Quite literally. Now, that room is used for storage. After all, who wanted to be in a haunted classroom?

"Well," she began again, "After I started high school, I started making more friends. Friends that I…um, haven't necessarily told you about."

_Ah, now we're get'n somewhere._

"Hmm? And that would beeee…?" he asked casually, rolling onto his stomach in mid air.

She was getting really nervous now, conflict clearly displayed in her eyes. But she wouldn't lie to him, he knew. So no matter how much she tried to beat around the bush, he would always get his answer.

"Of course you know Bertha and Prudence," she began.

"Uh-huh," he nodded, acting somewhat bored.

"Well, when I entered high school, we all sort of went our separate ways. They both found cliques, and I was just sort of left behind. It's not like they did it on purpose or anything, but after a few days of that I was finally noticed by some other people."

Beetlejuice nodded, wondering when fuck fa- er…Gage came into all this. Had he been one of the first people to notice her? When had she gotten such a hot body to attract people other than Burp and Prude?

"They were all upperclassmen and really nice, so it surprised me when they were nothing like the rumors of high school. I hadn't invited them over or anything because I didn't want to take time from us hanging out. You're really unpredictable sometimes when you pop in for a visit."

She laughed at this, and he smiled slightly.

"So that's why you haven't met them or anything. I just don't want you to think I was hiding anything."

And with that, she concluded her story. Beetlejuice, however, was not satisfied.

"Hmm, so are they all girls…or do you have any guy friends?"

Lydia gave him a sideway glance after standing and making her way over to her dresser. She was about to answer when once again, the phone went off. Growling, Beetlejuice watched as she answered, going wide eyed at whatever information she was receiving.

"What? Ashley and Hannah can't make it? Fifteen? Yeah, I'll be ready."

She hung up again, but instead of answering his question she headed straight for her dresser. She pulled out a long sleeved orange top that had a wide neck line so as to end at her shoulders. She then pulled out a black tank top, obviously going underneath the orange one so that its straps would show. And then, with half her outfit laid out on the bed, Lydia did something Beetlejuice had never been present to witness.

She stripped.

He watched slack jawed as her skirt hit the floor, kicking it haphazardly to the side as she went across the room. Bending over to retrieve a pair of black pants, Beetlejuice sucked in a breath as he was given the absolute best view of her ass. His eyes traced the curve of each cheek with relish as she bent back up. Once up right again, Lydia shimmied into the pants and then began to take off her tie and school shirt. He watched, transfixed as he took in her B (bordering C) cup breasts, noting absently that the neon green bra didn't match her dark purple panties.

Lydia finally noticed how her best friend hadn't spoken in a while and looked at him questioningly. She was fully dressed now, so Beetlejuice was able to stop gawking when she gave him 'the look'.

"Beej? What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

Beetlejuice said a quick 'nuth'n' and continued to watch as she shrugged and began applying some light eye makeup. He then began thinking why she had changed in front of him. It was so out of the blue he started to wonder if she had done it on purpose. The thought made his mind race with excitement, and to confirm his suspicions, Beetlejuice listened, straining his ears to hear anything that indicated her pulse had accelerated.

But to his utter disappointment, Lydia's vitals were just fine. It seemed she viewed him as nothing more as a friend. Harmless. Boy, was he anything but.

Just as she was done with the last dash of mascara, a horn was heard from outside. Lydia looked out her window, followed shortly by Beej (who had gone invisible), and then both watched as a nice cherry red Camaro pulled into the drive way. Lydia gave him no time to see who was in the car as she was quick to move from the window and grab a small wallet.

"Beej, I know this is short notice, but this is the first time I've said yes to going to the mall with these guys. I was going to tell you when I got home but you weren't here. So…please don't be mad."

The last bit was sad, laced with a bit of guilt. He could never be mad at her, so the effect made him also feel guilty that she thought he would react that way. Giving her a cocky grin, Beetlejuice was quick to ease her worries.

"No worries babes, go have some fun. I'll just hang with Jacque and Ginger till you get back."

She smiled brilliantly, a laugh escaping when she saw a noose appearing loosely around his neck. Giving him a hug that rivaled a bear's grip, Lydia turned and left. But only after she had stepped out of her room did Beetlejuice realize something.

She hadn't sent him back.

He was free to go where he wanted.

And he sure as hell wasn't going to be waiting in the Neitherworld.

XxXxXxXxX

Lydia skipped down the stairs, more giddy than she had ever been before. She was so happy Beetlejuice had taken the whole 'friend situation' so well. He had always come off as such a jealous and possessive guy after she had met Prince Vince, and she had been a nervous wreck all day when she had accepted the invitation to the mall. But now that it was over, Lydia felt as if a giant weight had been lifted from her chest (hence the skipping and jumping).

She was so happy in fact, that she forgot all about sending him back to the Neitherworld. But that didn't really matter. If Beetlejuice decided to follow her, she'd know it.

XxXxXxXxX

Beetlejuice followed Lydia shortly after the door closed. He went invisible, smiling in bewilderment as he watched her skip down the stairs. Now, normally, Lydia would have known he was there the moment he popped into existence. They had been friends so long that she didn't even need to see him to know he was there. But what she didn't know was that he could mask his presence completely without so match as a single trace of feeling in the air. It wasn't something he did often, and certainly not around Lydia, but with a little more juice he was as invisible and discreet as the air she breathed.

That's why when he floated so close he could count every hair on her head, Lydia didn't look around in suspicion. Not even the tell tale cold spot was felt.

Satisfied with the results of his camouflage, Beetlejuice floated outside and was met with a sight that made his eyes bulge.

XxXxXxXxX

Lydia stepped out the front door, throwing a small 'goodbye' over her shoulder to let her parents know she was leaving, and was met with sight of her two friends.

They both looked up at the same time, smiling their impossibly white teeth and bounding over to give her a crushing hug.

"Lydia!" they shouted in unison, giving her cheeks a small peck of affection.

Lydia rolled her eyes and hugged them back, wondering when she would be able to get over the whole 'twin' thing.

Beetlejuice on the other hand was floating as stiff as a corpse.

_What the fuck? Lydia is friends with these smoking hot twins?_

Indeed, they were quite the beauties. Each had the same long, wavy brown hair, glossy and sleek when the light hit it. They were both taller than Lydia, legs nicely toned and long. He watched as they hugged her, all three pairs of breasts squishing together and seemingly ready to burst from their tops.

"Ready girl?" the right one asked, letting go of Lydia and heading towards the driver's side.

"Hey, why can't I drive?" the left one demanded, her arm snaking around Lydia's waist as they headed towards the car.

"Because Gabby, our insides would be decorating the road," Lydia shot in mock annoyance.

Gabby huffed, hand sliding down to give Lydia's bottom a resounding 'SMACK'. She yelped, jumping away from Gabby and running up to the other twin.

"Tiffany! Do I really have to spend the rest of the day with this molester?" she whined, unable to bite back her smile.

Tiffany nodded sadly and ignited the car.

"You know you love it," Gabby laughed as she climbed into the back seat while Lydia took shot gun.

Beetlejuice came back to his senses after the car roared to life. Making sure his presence was completely masked he quickly floated through the car door and settled into the back seat. He looked over at Gabby who sat obliviously next to him. Her liquid brown eyes were glazed a bit, almost as if she were day dreaming. Following her gaze he noticed she was staring at Lydia who had her head turned towards Tiffany, laughing at something she had said.

_Does this girl have the hots for Lyds?_ he wondered absently, but afterwards pushed the thought away. He was probably imagining things, and if not, Lydia was obviously into dudes, so he had nothing to worry about.

Shifting a bit to get comfortable he sat back and listened to their conversation.

"So what made Ashley and Hannah bail?" Lydia asked.

"Hannah's father had planned for them to go to an early dinner at some fancy restaurant," Tiffany answered.

"And Ashley was banging her boyfriend," Gabby said with a snicker.

"While she was talking to us on the phone," Tiffany added.

Lydia grinned, choking back an embarrassed laugh.

"Doesn't surprise me, that girl's always horny."

Beetlejuice's jaw dropped in a surprised smile. Had Lydia just said 'horny'? He almost couldn't believe that word had dropped out such an innocent looking mouth without so much as second thought. The more he thought about it, the more he began to like this 'older' Lydia.

"Ha! Coming from the girl who's always lip-locked with Gage Willows!" Gabby snorted with an exaggerated laugh.

At the mention of 'fuck face' Beetlejuice's ears perked up. Now listening intently to their conversation, Beetlejuice wondered how Lydia would react. She blushed, something he thought was very cute, and frowned with embarrassment. Eyes wide she opened her mouth to deny it but Tiffany beat her to it.

"Oh, don't even thinking of lying. Every one at school knows about you're supposedly 'secret' rendezvous. But everyone thinks you're a couple, so that's why no one is whispering about you. Only me and Gabby know the truth."

Lydia frowned some more, a little offended by her friend's comment.

"It's not like we're fuck buddies or anything. We only kiss…" she trailed off, growing a bit quiet at the last bit.

Gabby and Beetlejuice snorted at the same, which he was grateful for. Otherwise he would have been caught.

"Yeah, you only kiss. I'll believe that, but I won't believe you only kiss on the mouth. I saw you two last week when he was giving you oral behind the football stands."

Tiffany whooped and hollered at that comment.

"Whoa! Mr. Gage Willows got a little pussy action! Why didn't you tell me?" she asked while looking in the rear view mirror. Gabby shrugged, looking out the window to avoid her sister's gaze.

"Must've slipped my mind," she answered curtly.

Beetlejuice turned his head to look at her, wondering why she had used that tone with her oblivious sister. When she turned back away from the window, he could see in her eyes that she was angry. Or was it…jealousy? Hmm, maybe this girl really did have the hots for Lydia.

A sharp turn made them all jerk in their seats. Tiffany apologized and announced they had arrived at the mall. Stepping out of the car (Beetlejuice phasing through of course) all the girls smiled and linked arms, Lydia in the middle. It was quite the sight really, making Beetlejuice for a moment imagine Lydia as a pimp.

"God, before we do anything I'm starving!" whined Tiffany as she pulled them in the direction of the arrow that said 'FOOD COURT'. Beetlejuice followed, watching the girls sway in front of him as if they knew just how sexy of a group they were. And judging by the giggles as boys turned their heads, he bet they did.

"I want a stromboli," Lydia announced as they made their way to a pizza station.

"How about we split it? Those things are really big," Gabby offered, taking out her purse to pay. "This'll also be pay back for the milkshake."

"What? That's not fair. I really want that milkshake," Lydia said with a little laugh. Gabby rolled her eyes and muttered a reluctant 'ok'.

Tiffany went ahead, ordering two large slices of meat lovers pizza. When they all sat down, she immediately began eating.

"That'll make you fat," Gabby said as she watched her sister eat the combination of meats that threatened to spill over onto the floor.

"Like that's any better?" she mocked, nodding towards Lydia who had already began eating her half of the stromboli. Grease dribbling down her chin, Lydia made a face and swallowed.

"Who cares," she said simply, biting into her meal more vigorously for affect.

Beetlejuice watched as the girls quieted, each becoming too engrossed with their meal to talk. Growing bored with the silence he began looking around. He saw that the mall was pretty busy today, even if it was a school day. Shortening his range of sight he spotted a couple tables nearby checking out the girls. A few scrawny looking guys cast shy glances while bigger muscle heads openly stared. The muscle heads' girlfriends were oblivious to their wandering eyes, continuing to talk about only god-knows what. He growled when one particular scrawny boy locked his eyes on Lydia, letting them roam from her face and down her curves.

"Did you hear something?" Gabby asked, looking up from her now empty plate.

"No, what did you hear?" Tiffany asked, standing and heading towards the trash can.

"Sounded like an animal," she said, looking at Lydia. She only shook her head, indicating she hadn't heard and the girl's walked away after discarding their trash.

XxXxXxXxX

"WHAT? No! No way am I doing that!" Lydia screamed, trying to escape her friend's grasp.

"Oh come on Lydia! Don't be such a baby!" Gabby laughed, pulling Lydia back into the store.

"I already paid, so your gonna have to," Tiffany grinned, helping her twin drag Lydia into on of the many chairs lined parallel to mirrors.

"Yes my darling, I never walk away from something so promising," squealed a man dressed in a flamboyant pink shirt complete with silk ruffles and leather pants.

Beetlejuice watched on in amusement as Lydia submitted to the girls and practically deflated in the chair. They were in a hair salon, something he thought smelled awful and so decided to stay a safe distance from but was still able to see them. At first he had been angry at the thought of Lydia getting her hair cut off. But after seeing the style they had chosen, he was reluctant to admit that he thought it would look really good.

"Come on Lydia, we know you're hair is naturally wavy," said Tiffany as she sat in a nearby chair.

"Yeah, and with this cut, you won't need to straighten it every morning," Gabby added, sitting as well.

Lydia huffed, closing her eyes as the hair stylist went to work. She flinched when she heard the 'snip' of scissors and the soft 'whoosh' of her hair hitting the ground. It didn't take long for the man to finish, simply wetting her hair and layering it, all the while telling her how to style it at home.

"Now sweetie, this is really easy since you're hair has such a natural flow. All you need to do it blow dry it after a shower and straighten the bangs. It'll give you a sort of wild put together look. Kinda like a neater version of 'after sex' hair."

Lydia groaned at that comment while the twins laughed.

"Okay, you can open you're eyes now," they said in unison. And when she did, she gasped. He hair was cut short to where it barely rested on her shoulders. The natural curve to her hair made it look like waves that weren't complete curls. Only her bangs were straight, cut to reach her eyebrows. Beetlejuice stared along with her. She looked even more innocent than before. Cute? Forget cute! She was fucking adorable!

"Wow," she breathed.

"Oh yeah," agreed Gabby.

"This suits you way better," Tiffany laughed.

Leaving the salon, Beetlejuice followed them into several stores. Some held jewelry, others were clothes, and they even stopped at a prank store. Lydia was trying on some googly eyes when the twins approached her.

"Hey Lydia, I've got an idea. I heard you're finally gonna let your best friend and Gage meet. How about we get him something from here? You said he liked pranks. Oh…what was his name again?" Tiffany asked.

"Um…something with a 'B'…" Gabby said.

"BJ," Lydia supplied, putting the item back on it's shelf.

"What, blow job?" Tiffany snickered.

Beetlejuice sneered, fingering the farting goo on the shelf above them.

_Yeah, like I've never heard that one before._

"No, it's a nickname for Beej," Lydia said a bit defensively, making Beetlejuice smile.

"Meant no harm," Tiffany said with raised hands.

"Anyway, Beej wouldn't like any of this kiddy stuff. He doesn't need any of it. When it comes to pranks-"

"He's a genius, we know," the twins dead panned.

Beetlejuice dropped the goo in surprise, head swinging violently over to Lydia. She smiled softly at their tone, cheeks flushed with slight embarrassment. She talked to her friends about him? Good things? Slowly, a grin began forming to match his shining eyes. She even thought he was a genius with his pranks?

"So tell us more about this 'friend'. You always give such a vague description," Tiffany said as they walked into another clothing store.

"Well what do you want to know?" Lydia asked, making a bee line to the gothic section.

"Well, what does he look like?" Gabby asked as she sifted through the rack of chain pants.

"Hmm…well, he's got blond hair. Taller than me, maybe about the same height as Gage."

"Ooo, is he muscular?" Tiffany grinned in a slightly scandalous way.

"Actually…I don't really know. He's got a bit of pudge but as for muscle I'm clueless."

"So you haven't seen him without a shirt?" Gabby asked as she put a pair of jeans over Lydia to see the size.

"No."

"So I'm guessing you haven't seen his cock either?"

"OH GOD NO!" Lydia exclaimed, voice going up an octave.

"Oh, but the real question here is does she want to?" Tiffany teased, grabbing a couple shirts from a nearby rack.

Lydia turned a deep crimson, eyes turning to the floor as she bit her lip. Beetlejuice's mouth had gone dry at the word 'cock'. Now, it felt like a desert.

_Please dear god let her say what I wanna hear!_

"No…" she finally muttered.

"Oh, little Lydia's curious," Gabby mocked, taking Lydia by the arm and dragging her to the changing rooms.

"I bet he's big," Tiffany giggled as she followed them in.

_You have no idea,_ Beetlejuice thought with a smirk, now occupying the space between the ceiling and their heads.

"I bet he's small," Gabby retorted, taking the place behind Lydia so that she was sandwiched between them.

"I bet I'd be more comfortable if we stop talking about this," Lydia whined, taking off her shirt and pants.

Beetlejuice only half listened to their bickering, watching with lust filled eyes as Lydia shed her clothes (unknowingly) in front of him once again. He wondered absently if this would become an everyday thing. Tiffany helped Lydia into a couple shirts, some she dubbed cute, some tacky, and a neon pink one she picked for fun. Everyone agreed afterwards to never put Lydia in pink ever again.

Once Tiffany was finished, she left to put the rejects back onto their respectable racks. Gabby on the other hand stayed behind to help Lydia 'try something new'.

"What? I would never where that," Lydia complained, stepping into the pants anyway.

"Why not?" Gabby asked, reaching to help when they got mid thigh.

"Other than the fact that they're almost impossible to put on and take off, they're made of cow. I don't wear dead animals, it's animal abuse," she complained, finally pulling them up enough to button them.

"But leather looks so bad ass on you…and it shows off your awesome ass."

Gabby had said the last part in a lower, huskier tone, coming up behind Lydia as she stood in front of the mirror.

"Gabby?" Lydia questioned, obviously nervous about the sudden change in atmosphere.

"Hmm?" she hummed, coming close enough to grab Lydia's waist and nuzzle the back of her neck.

"I already told you to stop, I-I'm not like that," she breathed out, gasping when she felt a sharp nip delivered to her ear.

"If you were completely against it, you'd be fighting back," chuckled Gabby.

Beetlejuice watched on in complete shock as Lydia's defenses were slowly broken down. Gabby was now reaching around, one hand settling on Lydia's stomach while the other lightly caressed the swell of her breast. He could tell Lydia didn't know what to do, and in her panicked state she was frozen, unable to move away. Now, normally Beetlejuice was the type of man (ghost) to consider this kind of behavior totally fucking hot. But this was **Lyds** being molested. **His** Lyds! And no one but **him **was allowed to touch her so intimately! But what could he do to stop it?

Lydia (oblivious to Beetlejuice's inner turmoil) was completely freaking out from Gabby's advances. She had known Gabby was a lesbian, having been told by her a week into their friendship. And not too long after, she was given the information that Gabby had set her sights on her. Lydia, at first, thought she was kidding. That is, until Gabby shoved her into the girl's bathroom one day for one off the most intense kisses she'd ever received. She was quick to explain to Gabby that she didn't feel the same way, not wanting to hurt her newly found friend's feelings. Gabby had only smiled, saying she wouldn't give up, and that she'd make her move one day. And it looked like today was that day.

Crying out softly, Lydia convulsed forward when Gabby's hand had traveled south, now teasing her womanly area over the leather. And for some odd reason, Lydia had the impulse to look up. It was a weird sensation, but it almost felt as if a hand had grasped her chin, pulling her upwards.

Eyes shooting up to the mirror, Lydia caught a flash of blond hair, a whirl of stripes…and then it was gone.

"Beej?" she breathed in surprise. Why would she be seeing **him **at such a critical time?

Gabby froze, her caresses ceasing. They stayed like that for a few moments, Gabby still latched on as Lydia tried to clear her head from her aroused state. Finally, Gabby let go enough to allow Lydia to turn around. They were still very close, faces just inches away from each other, their erratic breath mingling. Finally, Gabby broke the silence.

"So, you like him that much huh?" she asked, her voice tense.

Lydia didn't know what to say. She couldn't explain that her best friend was a ghost and the only reason she said his name was because she thought she saw him in the mirror. But it seemed there was no need for any reply at all. Gabby accepted her silence for a 'yes' and smiled dejectedly.

"Well, I can take a hint. I won't try to come between you two, so don't worry."

Lydia opened her mouth but Gabby silenced her with a wave of the hand.

"Still friends?" she asked, hand jutting out.

Lydia looked down at the hand and then back up to her eyes. Smiling in relief, she took the offered hand and shook.

"Of course."

The girls left the clothing store shortly after going through the grueling process of taking off the leather pants. They ended up not getting anything, much to the male cashier's disappointment, and were soon heading off through to join the throng of people.

"So, tell us more about BJ," Tiffany began.

"Yeah, like his personality," Gabby added.

"Hmm…well, that's kinda tough. He's a prankster, but I make sure he doesn't cross the line," Lydia answered with a smile.

"Oh, so you've got him whipped!" Tiffany laughed.

Beetlejuice sneered. Whipped? He'd never been whipped! Just because he always listens to Lydia, did whatever she asked, always tried to make her happy, always thought of her first…that didn't make him whipped…right?

"No, he's as free as any man can get," she defended, once again.

"Okay, so what does he like?"

"Women," she answered nonchalantly.

"And you don't get jealous?" Gabby questioned with raised eyebrows.

"What? No! What would I have to be jealous about? I got mad once when he completely forgot about our plans to sleep with some woman but that doesn't make me jealous. I had every right to be angry with him," she huffed.

Beetlejuice reeled back in surprise. She'd known he'd slept with what's-her-face? And she wasn't jealous? For some reason, that made him annoyed.

After checking the time the girls decided to make one last stop before heading home. It was an ice cream shop named _Dairy Donny's_, one that seemed to be very popular if the crowd was any indication. Gabby offered to order for them so Tiffany and Lydia went off to find a booth.

"So, you rejected my sister?" Tiffany asked as soon as Gabby was out of ear shot.

Lydia's eyes widened at the question, brows furrowing in confusion.

"How did you-"

"I can tell just by looking at her. Anyway, don't worry about it. She doesn't hold it against you."

Lydia sighed in relief, looking over at Gabby sadly. She was talking to one of the cashiers, bickering actually. Sensing their conversation had come to a close, Beetlejuice floated over to the other twin in curiosity.

"So, you wanna go out?" the cashier asked with a cocky smile.

"As I've said the last fifty times Tom, no," Gabby growled.

"Come on Gabby, you really need to stop stringing me along here."

"I'm not! For the last time, I'm not into cock!" she hissed, pulling out her money to pay.

Tom accepted it, being quiet long enough for Beetlejuice to study him. He wasn't an overly built young boy, but very tall for his age. He had dirty blond hair and dark eyes that looked like black pits. He was handsome, in a boyish way, and looked very promising for the future in the looks department.

"How about a great personality?" he continued, not giving up or hesitating in his retorts.

"Why on earth do you think-"

"Just give me a chance," he pleaded. "You never know who you might fall for in this world."

He looked so serious at that moment that Gabby paused, unable to come up with anything to say. His eyes were intense as they stared her down, and she finally had to look away.

"Whatever," she muttered, grabbing their shakes when her number was called.

"Tom again?" Tiffany asked when her twin came back.

"Yeah, he's so annoying," she grumbled, taking a seat next to Tiffany.

"I don't know. You two fight like an old married couple. I think you like him," Lydia said with a smirk.

"Yeah right! Even if he grew a pussy I'd never get together with him," she griped, latching onto her straw and sucking her shake.

Beetlejuice floated down next to Lydia, settling into the booth. He smiled as she drank her shake, humming slightly to the music playing overhead. As he sat there, taking in the heat that radiated off of her like a portable heater, he wondered when she had gotten into Frank Sinatra. He wondered when she had gotten a 'friend-with-benefits', when she had gotten so hot, and most of all…he wondered when she had gotten so grown up.

XxXxXxXxX

Lydia collapsed onto her bed, checking the clock to see how much time she had to do her geometry homework. Toying with a stray thread on her blanket, she decided to do it tomorrow during lunch. After all, it wasn't that much, and right now, she just wanted to see Beetlejuice. Making her way to the mirror, Lydia said his name once, knowing he'd be there in less than a second.

Of course, Beetlejuice was still out, so when she called his name he quickly phased into the mirror so as not to raise any suspicion.

"Hey babes!" he greeted in his gravelly voice.

Lydia smiled, **his** smile, while shaking her head in exasperation.

"Why are you always so hyper?" she teased, walking away to lay on her bed again.

"M'not that hyper babes," he muttered with a smile. "Yer jus tired. So how was a day without you're good old Beej?"

"Fun," she answered simply. Then, with a smile, "Would have been better if you were there."

She was about to go into detail when a yawn began to form in her throat. She tried to fight it, but it was a wasted effort. Leaning back in the mirror, Beetlejuice smiled.

"Go to bed babes, you look like you need it."

Lydia gave him a questioning look. Wondering what had gotten into her best friend. Normally he was begging for details if something happened while he wasn't around, no matter what mood she was in. But, deciding not to push it, Lydia walked to the bathroom to get ready for bed. When she got back, Beetlejuice was no where to be found. The only trace left of him was some scraggly handwriting in breath fog on the mirror.

"_Night babes."_

Lydia smiled, wishing him sweet dreams as she turned off the lights.

Once sure she was asleep, Beetlejuice came out from his hiding at the foot of her bed. Floating over to the head of it, he gazed down at the beauty sleeping obliviously right in front of him. Reaching out a hand, he traced her cheek, noting how much hotter it was than through her clothing when she hugged him.

Could he really make her his? He hadn't really thought about what would happen afterwards. What would their relationship be like? What would she expect from him? Could they still stay friends? Friends with benefits? The more he thought about it, the more depressed he became. He should have known one day Lydia would add someone else to her life that she loved just as much or maybe even more than him. But he should've been able to handle it! Why was he taking this so badly?

Retracting his hand, Beetlejuice sighed as if the whole weight of the world was on his shoulders.

_What am I gonna do?_

**A/N: Ah yes, more drama to come. So, just so everyone knows, that was the only lesbian scene in my fic. I just thought I'd add that for extra drama. Especially when Gabby is gonna help Beetlejuice get Lydia sometime through the story. Oops! Did I just type that? Oh well, if you really want to know what happens, just keep reading!**


	4. Beetlejuice has a plansort of

**A/N: Honestly, I come in to type with absolutely nothing planned. But hey, that's how I roll. Can't warn you about anything because I have absolutely no idea what I'm gonna write. Well, except a little naughtiness between Gage and Lydia and Beetlejuice finally making a move. Enjoy! R&R.**

"Gage! Stop!" Lydia whined, batting his hands away as he made to pin her arms down.

"Oh, come on. Don't be a baby," he teased.

"No, I don't think I can do this…" she trailed off, flinching at the objects hovering so close to her.

"Don't worry, after one thrust it won't hurt anymore. You'll just be sore," he cooed with a reassuring smile.

"Did you really have to say it like that? And two at the same time?" Lydia screeched, not reassured at all.

"I'm telling you to stop worrying. Or do I have to hold your arms down?" he mock threatened, reaching for her arms again.

"No! It's just…their both kinda big…" she whimpered, bracing herself for what was to come.

"They're normal size. Now, I'm gonna count to three, and then it'll be all over. One…two…three!"

"Gaaaaaaah!"

Lydia grinded her teeth at the sudden pain, unconsciously arching up in her seat. Gage was quick to hold her down when she tried to get away.

"Just hold still a little longer," Gabby told her, finishing up on her left side.

"Yeah, I'm almost done too," Tiffany informed from her right.

"How was I talked into this?" Lydia groaned, flinching when the needles were replaced with stubs.

"Because they needed someone to practice piercing on," Gage answered giving her a peck on the cheek.

It had been lunch time when the twins had confronted her. She had just finished her homework and had been eating with Gage when they told her what they wanted to do. Now, Lydia didn't mind piercing. In fact, she had been toying with the fact of getting a couple some day. It was just the needle part that scared her.

The first time she had gotten her ears pierced, it was by a professional. But two teenagers who had never even handled a needle before coming straight towards her was what had made her want to duck under the picnic table she was eating at.

Gage (the jerk she thought with a huff) had thought it was a great idea, telling her double piercings were sexy. He looked so excited Lydia just couldn't say no. And that's why she sat there now, grumbling about how bad of an idea this was as Gage and the twins smiled away.

"Oh, get over it! I'm sure you'll thank us one day," Gabby said and jabbed her with an elbow.

"Yeah, and then you'll be wanting a third," Tiffany laughed.

Lydia rolled her eyes, smiling as her friends went back into the school. Gage sat next to her, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. Kissing her temple he slid his nose down to nuzzle her neck, one hand coming up to play with her hair.

"Have I told you how much I love your hair?" he asked, hand snaking up to massage her skull.

"I've counted twenty three times, or was that twenty four?" she teased, turning to nuzzle him back.

"So what did this…Beej, think about it?" Gage asked, his tone a little sour.

"Well…I don't know…he saw me but didn't say anything about it. I mean, he's normally pretty oblivious but I can't believe he missed such a big change," she replied a bit sadly. She had really wanted to know what Beetlejuice thought about it.

"Whoa! Hold on a minute! You got home around ten last night! What was that guy doing at your house so late?" Gage demanded, pulling away from Lydia.

"Geez Gage! Jealous much?" Lydia countered, a little angry about his attitude.

Gage immediately realized what he did wrong and hung his head. Pulling her back to him he gave her forehead an apologetic kiss.

"I'm sorry babe. I…I didn't mean to get jealous. Honest! It's just…"

Lydia looked up at him, smiling at the emotions swirling in his eyes.

"Gage, I'm not gonna leave you for him. We've been friends for so long I don't think anything would change. It would just be awkward," she said softly. Then, in a lighter tone, "Anyway, I think he still sees me as a little girl. I wouldn't be surprised if he still thought I was twelve!"

They laughed at that, Gage because he thought she was exaggerating and Lydia because she could actually see it happening.

If only she knew how right she was.

Standing suddenly, Gage locked eyes with Lydia and didn't look away as he knelt in front of her. She watched silently as he parted her legs, fighting back a bit on reflex. Gage only smiled, trailed a hand down the exposed part of her leg from the hem of the skirt to the top of her high sock. Bending from the waist he kissed her knee, pushing back the skirt as he ventured north. Lydia twitched, aroused from just the intensity of his stare.

"Has Beej ever touched you like this?" he asked, nonchalantly tracing circles up her thigh.

"No," Lydia mumbled, not sure if she could trust her voice.

"Has he ever kissed you like this?" Gage asked, tongue sliding dangerously close to the trim of her underwear.

"Ah!" was all Lydia could manage, biting her lip to stop further noises.

"That's not an answer," Gage growled, leaning in to nip her.

Lydia let out a breathy cry, hands reaching to tangle in his hair as she convulsed forward. He grinned, loving her voice and wanting to hear more. Not bothering to move her panties, Gage's tongue shot out to where her hole was located, nudging his nose against her covered nub. Lydia moaned more, unconsciously pushing his face closer.

RRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNG

Lydia and Gage jumped at the warning bell, signaling to all that only five minutes of lunch remained. Still dazed from her aroused state, Lydia pet his head.

"I think it's time you head back," she said reluctantly, wanting him to finish.

"I think I'll stay here," came his muffled reply, pulling her skirt over his head so she couldn't see him.

Laughing, Lydia wiggled free, standing and smoothing her skirt. Grabbing her hand, the two of them walked to the road next to their table and over to his parked motorcycle. After an intense make out session, they both waved good bye and headed off to their schools.

XxXxXxXxX

"A gerbil!"

"No."

"A fox!"

"No."

"A rabbit on steroids!"

"No!" shouted Lydia, laughing at his ridiculous predictions.

She had gotten home a little early, excited about not having homework. She figured they'd be able to hang out in the Neitherworld a couple hours more than usual, only to be disappointed when he hadn't been at her mirror. So, with nothing else to do, she had sat down with a couple cookies and had begun drawing. That was when Beetlejuice decided to make his appearance, hovering over her with a cookie in his mouth and crumbs falling in her hair. And now, he was trying to guess what she was drawing.

"How in the world do you get all those answers from this?" she asked, waving towards her almost-finished picture.

"Babes, you're awesome at drawing, but let's face it. Furry little creatures are not your strong suit."

Lydia threw him an annoyed smile, ignoring him and picking up where she'd left off.

Beetlejuice floated next to her, trying to seem like he was watching her draw. In reality, he was studying her ear, the slight swelling and redness of it revealed when she tucked away a stray hair. Tilting his head, he wondered when she had gotten it. Obviously it was still fresh, so it must have been done sometime today. Glancing up again, Beetlejuice let his eyes roam her jaw line, following its slight movement as she lightly grinded her teeth.

She was still so young…it was hard for him to decide what he wanted. He knew he should have been worrying about what **she** wanted but…god damn it! In this situation he had every right to be a little selfish! Head lolling to the side, Beetlejuice heaved a sigh.

_Fuck…what am I going to do?_

Lydia, however, was oblivious to his odd behavior, completely absorbed in her work. Glancing back up at her, Beetlejuice unconsciously licked his lips.

_If I could just set the mood somehow without looking suspicious…Wait…_

An idea struck him.

Maybe…maybe if he could open her eyes a bit…if he could get her to see him as something other than her friend, he'd have a chance. Start small, drop little hints, act out of character, treat her more than just a child…yeah…it could work.

And what better time to start than now?

"Lyds," he began, landing so that he stood on his feet. Lydia looked up, eyes widening in surprise at their close proximity. Putting one hand on her desk, Beetlejuice leaned in slowly, his other hand reaching up to cup her cheek.

"Beej?" she asked, confused. "Is there something on my face?"

Beetlejuice held her stare, frowning when her vitals remained the same.

_Time to kick it up a notch…_

Eyes lowering, he let them linger on her lips, his head moving closer. Using his thumb, he caressed the smoothness of her cheek with the callused digit. Still, nothing. But then, with an accidental flex of the hand, Lydia's breath hitched slightly as his curled fingers brushed the sensitive spot behind her ear. Not the sore piercing, no, but the spot that Gage often licked when teasing her.

_Ah, there it goes,_ Beetlejuice thought triumphantly when her pulse accelerated.

And without even breaking her gaze or moving any closer, Beetlejuice moved her hair to reveal her ear fully.

"You got a new piercing," he said simply, eyes finally shooting down and pretending to study it.

Lydia exhaled, smiling at his (supposedly) new discovery.

"Yeah, Tiffany and Gabby did it."

Beetlejuice nodded, letting go of her and floating back up to lay down.

Lydia shook her head in bewilderment, going back to her drawing so that she could finish and then visit the Neitherworld. But she couldn't fully concentrate, mind drifting off sometimes to wonder about her best friend's behavior.

What had that been all about? Why had he gotten so close?

_Maybe he was looking at the design on my stud. It's pretty small._

And with that thought convincing her, Lydia brushed off his strangeness as nothing to worry about. It was probably just the heat anyways. He always got a little weird (more than usual) when it was summer.

XxXxXxXxX

"Beej, are you sure?" Lydia asked, arms spread out as a tailor took her measurements.

"Of course babes! I got everything covered!" Beetlejuice replied smugly, shooting the store owner a smirk. The ghost in turn sneered, grumbling about how he wished blackmail had never been invented.

Lydia smiled, oblivious to the conflict.

"You haf vewy sof skin," the tailor told her, speech muffled by the measuring tape in his mouth.

"Thank you," Lydia replied, not catching the soft growl emanated from Beetlejuice.

The 'tailor' was very true to his trade, not only in skill but in looks as well. He was, literally, a tail, one of the most colorful in all the Neitherworld. His fur was silky and long, highlighted by many neons that clashed violently. At one end of the tail was a mouth, enabling him to speak, and at the other end was a hand, used to do his job. In the Neitherworld, the brighter the coat, the more skilled the tailor was. And Beetlejuice wasn't about to let just anybody make Lydia's new clothes.

But now he began to regret getting this hot shot clothes designer to do his bidding. The tailor had been eyeing (even though he really didn't have any eyes) Lydia the entire time. And if that wasn't enough, he had seemed to have gotten a bit **too** cozy when measuring her bust. Lydia had giggled when the tailor settled around her shoulders to measure her torso better, but Beetlejuice wasn't laughing when the creature's tongue had lagged dangerously close to her neck.

"For a living girl, your skin is very pale and glossy," he continued to compliment, sliding down her front and moving to measure her thighs.

"Yes, I get it from my mother," Lydia replied twitching slightly when the fur tickled her throat.

Beetlejuice continued to watch on as they chatted, just wanting it to be over with so they could get out of there. Sitting down in one of the waiting chairs, Beetlejuice replayed their earlier conversation…

"_Lyds, ya know what we didn't celebrate last year?" Beetlejuice began as they walked through the streets of the Neitherworld. _

"_No, what?" she asked, fiddling with her baggy poncho that now ended at her calves rather than dragging the ground._

"_Christmas!" he exclaimed, snapping his fingers and turning into a snow man. "I forgot why though…"_

"_You don't remember? Dad took Delia and I to Hawaii."_

"_Oh yeah…" he muttered, a small sun appearing above them and making him melt._

"_I brought you back souvenirs," she said, smiling when he turned back to normal. _

"_But I didn't get you anything! So, I've decided to take you shopping."_

"_You have money to spend?" she asked, eyebrow raising in suspicion._

"_Oh yeah! Plus, where we're going, I get a discount. Me and the clerk go waaaaay back!"_

"_So what are you gonna get me?" she asked, generally curious and a little excited._

"_Well, I figured some new Neitherworld clothes. You've been wearing this since we first met," he said, pinching the worn fabric of her poncho._

_Lydia looked down at her clothes, brows furrowing slightly and lip jutting out in a pout._

"_But I love this thing," she said somewhat fearfully, stepping back as if he planned to take it from her._

"_Oh come on Lyds, you don't gotta throw it away! I'm just say'n, you need someth'n a little more…grown up."_

"_Grown up?" she asked, curious eyes meeting his._

"_Yeah! You're what? Sixteen? If ya want to be treated like a grown up, you gotta dress like one! Remember that guy who wouldn't let ya on the rolling boaster because he thought you was a kid?"_

_Lydia nodded, remembering how Beetlejuice had explained that kids who had died young had special licenses to show how long they had been dead, therefore giving them the same rights as adult ghosts. They did that so as not to confuse them with young spirits born into the Neitherworld rather than dying to get there (the born ones having to grow up before able to do older ghost stuff)._

"_So there you have it," Beetlejuice concluded, grabbing her hand and marching on._

"_But I didn't even want to go on the rolling boaster! You dragged me there! That guy didn't let me on because I was alive and it would've killed me!" Lydia complained, wondering how Beetlejuice had twisted the situation so much like that._

"_Details, you know I hate'em."_

And that's how he ended up sitting in this fancy pants store, watching some prissy little ghost molesting Lydia with whatever limbs he used for eyes.

But so far his plan was going smoothly…actually, he didn't really even **have** a plan.

_Fuck plans, I'm wing'n it, _he thought with a grin.

Lydia noticed his change in expression and furrowed her brow. Something was off with Beetlejuice today, but she just couldn't figure out what.

"All right, I'm finished with the measurements. Just go sit over there with your friend and I'll come get you to try things on."

Lydia gave her thanks to the tailor and walked towards Beetlejuice.

"What's going on Beej?" she asked once seated.

"Whad'ya mean Lyds?"

"Something's…different about you," she stated, leaning closer as if to study something physically wrong with him.

His first instinct was to lean back, shy away from her so as not to get too close and become flustered. But he held himself in place, curious of her reaction to their close proximity. But he was disappointed once again when Lydia neither hesitated nor showed any signs of excitement.

"Lydia Deetz, your order is ready and waiting for you to try on in the dressing room," came a bored voice from the intercom over head.

Lydia stood, muttering a "that was fast" before heading off towards the back of the store. Beetlejuice got up to follow, smirking as he passed by the store owner who in turn growled. When he had reached the women's changing room, the tailor was already outside her door.

"Your girlfriend?" he asked casually, nodding towards the stall Lydia occupied.

"No," Beetlejuice grunted, hoping to whatever god was out there that Lydia wasn't able to hear them.

"Oh, trying to win her heart through gifts then?" the tailor continued to question.

Beetlejuice gritted his teeth and counted to five before answering.

"Can't I just buy my best friend something without it having to mean anything?" he almost shouted, and was absolutely certain Lydia had heard him that time.

The tailor smirked, sharp teeth gleaming and tongue lagging almost to the floor.

"Well well, if she really meant nothing more to you, than why are you getting so worked up?"

Beetlejuice had no answer to that, growling slightly in anger before growing silent.

"Beej? Are you sure about this? I'm not too sure about the style…" came Lydia's timid voice.

"Just come out so I can see ya Babes," Beetlejuice replied, anger fading as the door opened…

XxXxXxXxX

Lydia shimmied into her new clothing, pausing when she heard Beetlejuice's heavy footsteps stop in front of her stall.

"Your girlfriend?" came an airy voice also outside her stall.

Lydia raised an eyebrow, pulling on her new clothes. That had sounded like the tailor…but who was he talking to? Beetlejuice? And what girlfriend? Lydia slowed down her dressing, straining her ears to here the conversation.

"No," came Beetlejuice's gravelly voice, and she wondered why he sounded annoyed.

"Oh, trying to win her heart through gifts then?" came the tailors voice again, and it finally dawned on Lydia.

_They're talking about me?_ she thought incredulously. _Why would he think me and Beej are together?_

Lydia stood there, dumbfounded. The thought sounded absurd to her, but it seemed the idea had been tossed around a lot lately, what with the twin's teasing and Gage's jealousy. But why was everyone thinking it?

"Can't I just buy my best friend something without it having to mean anything?" Beetlejuice practically shouted, causing Lydia to jump at the aggression in his voice.

_Wait…not mean anything?_

The word's rang through her head, a tightness creeping up in her stomach and making her a bit uncomfortable.

_Whoa, where did that come from?_ she wondered, confused about the unpleasant feeling that had suddenly hit her.

Shaking it off, Lydia began dressing faster, missing the last bit of their conversation. When she was finally done however, a quick glance in the mirror made her very self conscious.

"Beej? Are you sure about this? I'm not too sure about the style…" she said stepping up to the door, hating how timid her voice sounded.

"Just come out so I can see ya Babes," was his reply.

Lydia sighed, taking one last look at the mirror before opening the door.

XxXxXxXxX

_Oh fuck me…_

It was all Beetlejuice could think as Lydia hesitantly stepped out into his sight, one arm crossed over her stomach in a feeble attempt to hide her skin. And boy was there a lot of skin to hide.

Made with the same spider web design as her poncho, Lydia wore a loose fitting top, cut jaggedly at the ends that barely past her breasts. Just below her naval started a skirt cut just like the top, ends hanging just above the middle of her thigh. Underneath, Lydia no longer wore a jumpsuit, but a two piece made from the same fabric as her previous one. The torso part was similar, the long sleeves forming into fingerless gloves. However, the new fabric contained a built in bra, the hem now ending just below her breasts, leaving her stomach bare. The bottom part of it left even more skin exposed, looking more like a swim suit bottom or short shorts. But of course, you couldn't see it unless she bent over.

"Boots courtesy of me," the tailor pointed out, causing Beetlejuice to glance at her knee high black boots.

"So…what do you think?" she asked, giving a little turn and shivering at the slight breeze.

At first, Beetlejuice didn't know how to answer. His first reaction was to say, "How 'bout you come to my place and I'll **show** ya what I think about it." But after a quick assessment of the situation, he decided that acting casually was the best way to go.

"Daaaaamn," Beetlejuice drawled, stepping closer and wolf whistling.

"I agree with his crude remark," said the tailor, but was ignored as Lydia's focus was all on Beetlejuice.

"Really?" she asked, smiling slightly in embarrassment. He had never complimented her like **that **before.

"Yeah Babes!" he exclaimed, throwing an arm around her shoulders and walking towards the cash register. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you'd be out to seduce someone."

Lydia's eyebrows shot up at his comment, jaw growing a bit slack.

"Really? And who would I be able to seduce?" she asked, surprised how comfortable she was talking like this with Beej. They had never teased each other like **this** before.

_She's make'n this way too easy,_ Beetlejuice thought with a smirk.

"Anyone Babes. Hell, even me!"

Beetlejuice hooked his thumbs in his lapels while saying that, giving her a charming grin complete with lidded eyes and raised eyebrows.

Lydia felt her face grow a little hotter, cheeks pinking slightly.

For a moment…she had found Beetlejuice to be…

"Gah!" he suddenly exclaimed, grabbing at a beetle that escaped his pocket and quickly smashing it between his teeth with a sickening 'CRUNCH'.

_Grooooss, _she thought with a giggle, completely forgetting her earlier introspective.

Walking up to the register (which the store owner happened to be operating at the moment), Beetlejuice told Lydia to go look around for a bit while he paid. She was a little reluctant, suspicious he was about to cause trouble, but after a lot of reassuring she left him be.

"I kept my end of the bargain, now you do the same!" the owner hissed, the knife in the middle of his forehead shifting in his angered state.

"Yeah yeah, here ya go," Beetlejuice muttered, slapping down a small envelope.

The owner quickly snatched it up, ripping off the top and let the contents spill on the counter. He quickly sifted through them, sighing in relief when they were all accounted for.

"I still don't know how you got these pictures. Do you make it a habit of following everyone's sex life?" he asked while ripping the offending items to shreds.

"Nope, just the people I fuck," Beetlejuice replied casually.

"Wait, you sleep with the mayor's wife too?" the owner asked incredulously.

"Who do I don't sleep with?" Beetlejuice deadpanned.

Despite the situation, the owner smiled and the two ghosts shook hands.

"I hope you appreciate how generous I was. That was some of the finest spider silk we have."

"Oh, I'll appreciate it all right."

_Appreciate slowly peeling it off to feel that fucking hot body, _he thought while glancing over at Lydia who stood near coats.

"So…that's the famous Lydia everyone's always talking about?" the owner began somewhat cautiously.

"Famous?" Beetlejuice questioned, eyes not straying as he watched Lydia bend down to look into display cases.

"Yeah, apparently everyone in the Neitherworld knows her, or at least has heard of her. She's the only living person going between worlds, and well…that's kinda illegal."

"Really? Then why hasn't anyone tried to keep her from doin it?" he asked, a little worried about what the answer would be.

"I don't know. Something about the higher ups liking her, or trusting her, or something like that. It also doesn't hurt that she's got that prince kid pining over her."

"Who gives a fuck about that brat…" Beetlejuice muttered, annoyed by just the mentioning of Vince.

"And…a lot of people think she keeps you tame…" the owner said quietly, hoping he hadn't crossed some sort of line.

Beetlejuice didn't say anything at first, his eyes going back to Lydia who had now sat down and was reading a magazine. Well, he couldn't deny it, that was for sure. Because the truth is, he really had laid off on his pranks and schemes. It wasn't like he had quit or anything, but the extremities to which he would go had really toned down. Because before…he had **nothing** to lose. And now…if he ever lost Lydia…he would have lost **everything**.

"Yeah," was all he said, leaning against the counter as if all of the thoughts that had just filled his mind each weighed a ton.

The owner was surprised at Beetlejuice's honesty, having known the ghost to deny anything that made him seem soft. Smiling, he tried to lighten the conversation with a bit of humor.

"You know, this is the first time I've ever seen her. When she first started coming to the Neitherworld I heard she was just a kid. How long as it been since then? Because I'd sure like to tap tha-"

Beetlejuice's arm shot up suddenly, grabbing the owner by his old fashioned collar and jerking him over the counter. The owner's mouth opened in a silent cry, whimpering when Beetlejuice's eyes began glowing a toxic green.

"You'd like to tap what?" he hissed quietly, the gravelly tone to his voice magnified by his anger.

"N-n-n-nothing! Nothing I swear!" the owner stuttered, choking when the grip on his collar tightened before being set free.

"Beej?" came Lydia's panicked voice, and he turned to see her jogging towards him.

"Come on babes, let's get outta this dump," Beetlejuice muttered, shooting the owner one more threatening glance before heading out.

"What was that all about?" Lydia asked, concerned.

Beetlejuice chewed his tongue, toying with the idea of lying. But then changed his mind, knowing she could sniff out his lies a mile away.

"That scum bucket was telling me how great of an ass you had, as if I didn't already know. So, I decided to put him in his place."

He glanced over at her quickly, anxious for her reaction. It had been a risk, saying he thought she had a great ass (hell, it was the truth wasn't it?), but what's said is said, and now all he could do was wait.

Lydia, on the other hand, was not so keen on the idea of showing what she felt. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not hide her reaction. Cheeks flushing, Lydia's pulse skyrocketed. Beetlejuice wanted to jump for joy when her steady heartbeat went wild. She looked down, confused, embarrassed, nervous…and a little excited.

_What the hell? Why am I acting this way?_

"Beej!" she suddenly blurted, startling them both.

"Yeah?" he asked and stopped walking.

Lydia opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her mind drew a blank as she tried to think of something to say. Beetlejuice turned fully towards her, thrusting his hands into his pockets and waited.

"Um…" she began, then stronger, "What was the real reason you got me new clothes? I know it's not for missing Christmas because we've never even celebrated my birthday."

Beetlejuice looked down into her hesitant eyes, trying to think of an excuse feasible enough. What could he say? That he wanted to see her in more revealing clothes so she could take the hint and jump his bones?

And then he had an idea.

"All right, you caught me," he began, raising his hands in a defensive gesture. "I just thought it would fit your hair better."

Lydia's mind reeled, hand shooting upon reflex to her newly styled hair. She had noticed immediately upon entering the Neitherworld that her famous up do had not appeared, and she was too excited about hanging out with Beej that she forgot to ask why.

"You…noticed?" she asked, fingering a raven tress.

"Uh, yeah! How could I miss it?" he scoffed, acting offended.

"Well, when I first got it done you didn't say anything…"

"Babes, you were tired."

Lydia peered shyly at him from underneath her thick lashes. A new shade of pink appeared when she spoke again.

"So, uh…what do you think?"

Beetlejuice smirked, stepping closer until their bodies were inches from contact. He reached out a hand to play with a lock close to the base of her neck, sending involuntary shivers down her spine.

"You really wanna know?" he asked in a low, sultry voice.

Lydia swallowed and nodded, briefly wondering why she was so nervous.

Beetlejuice released his hold on her hair, grabbing her chin and moving her face side to side.

"It's sexy," he said simply with a grin, letting go and tussling her hair.

Lydia giggled, batting his hands away and smiled. Then they continued walking, Beetlejuice whistling while she remained quiet.

_What was up with that atmosphere?_ she wondered, glancing quickly at Beetlejuice's contented face. _And why do I feel so weird?_

Sighing and deciding not to think about it, Lydia looked down at Beetlejuice's hand. She wanted to hold it, but now just even the thought made her nervous. But why? She had **always** held his hand before! Inwardly scolding herself for reasons unknown, Lydia decided to just try and get over whatever this new feeling was.

Looking back towards the road they traveled, Lydia slowly reached for Beetlejuice's arm. Once her hand wrapped around his elbow, she shifted closer until she was practically hugging his side. Beetlejuice glanced down, smiling when she refused to meet his eyes. And then he grinned, a sinful grin that promised many wicked things.

_From now on, things are gonna get interesting._

**A/N: Applause! Another chapter finished! Finally, Beetlejuice is putting on the moves, and Lydia is just getting even more confused. R&R!**


	5. Beej's Desicion

**A/N: Oooookay, so, things are finally kicking off! Now begins the fun writing! Let's see, in the time period of this story so far it's Wednesday, so only 3 more chapters (including this one) remain until Beetlejuice and Gage meet. **

**WARNING: Beetlejuice gets a little fluffy somewhere in this chapter. He may be a bit out of character but I tried my best to make him awkwardly fluffy! R&R!**

Beetlejuice grunted, rolling to the side of his 'sex' bed and sitting up. Running a hand through his hair and down his face, he took a moment to glance over his shoulder and observe his latest conquest. She was a fairly good looking woman, a natural red head with unnatural blue skin. Her glowing body laid tightly wrapped in his (once white) bed sheets as she slept off the previous night's events.

He had been pretty rough, more so than usual. In fact, he had been so vigorously fucking her that he hadn't been all that surprised when she passed out after round four. And you know who's fault that was?

Lydia.

Lydia and her fucking innocence!

Cursing quietly when he stood, Beetlejuice trudged over to a night stand, pulling out the top drawer to retrieve a cigarette. Using his juice it immediately lit upon hitting his lips, and he took in a long, appreciative drag. Blowing out the smoke, Beetlejuice recalled the events leading up to now.

He had walked Lydia around the new additions of the Shocking Mall, walking slightly behind her as she marveled at the new stores. He watched on as her new outfit swished around, loving how it covered so little and she didn't even seem to mind anymore.

But then things had begun to get out of hand after quickly realizing he wasn't the only one enjoying the view. Lydia was causing many heads to turn as she pranced through the mall, completely oblivious to the hungry stares. More than a few had even gotten the balls to try and approach her, but Beetlejuice was quick to cut them off, acting like a body guard or a very jealous boyfriend. But of course **he** wasn'ther boyfriend…not yet anyway.

After a couple almost-fights, they had left and gone out for eye scream. And of course, if he wasn't already frustrated enough, Lydia had chosen the newest flavor (iceburp something) which happened to have looked like a popsicle. And, well, we all know what popsicles look like.

Again, he wasn't the only one giving her heated glances as her tongue skillfully wore down the treat…licking up it's length and wrapping around the tip…slurping loudly and smiling as the liquid sugar dribbled down her chin…

Beetlejuice returned to the present, heaving a sigh of frustration as his not-so-little guy came to attention. He hadn't even realized he'd made it back to the bed until a set of long arms snaked around his torso.

"Morning," came the husky voice of…um…

"Morn'n," he muttered around the cigarette, a brief moment forgetting why she was even here.

"Ooo, look's like **someone** need's a little attention," the ghoul cooed, hands coming down to settle on his bare thighs.

Oh yeah, now he remembered.

After Lydia headed home, he'd been **extremely** horny. So, the bar is where he'd gone and found company. Some sweet talk'n and a couple drinks later, they stumbled into his room, literally tongue tied. He had maneuvered them over to his wall on autopilot, hitting it so the bed sprang out ready to serve. It was almost second nature to him, having done it so many times.

But that's when things started going down hill.

It was fine after the first time, his hoe-on-the-go satisfied but still willing to please. The second time got a little weird for him, unable to stop wishing her red hair was raven and that her blue skin a pale peach. The third lasted longer, Beetlejuice having to blink fiercely whenever Lydia's ecstasy flushed face popped into his mind. And by the fourth, he was beyond frustrated, thrusting in vain as he tried desperately to reach a climax with a person that wasn't even there. The ghoul, however, had had the orgasm of her afterlife, the pleasure being too much and causing her to go unconscious. After that, Beetlejuice just stopped all together.

Unsatisfied, and unhappy.

Now though, he was yearning again.

But not for the ghost currently giving him a hand job.

"Uh, listen. I gotta go. I'm a busy guy ya know," he started, getting up and pulling on some pants.

"But I-" she started, watching in shock as he pulled on the rest of his suit.

"Look, I had a great time last night, there's no food to eat, and don't let the door hit ya on the way out," he dead panned, stepping on his cig and disappearing.

XxXxXxXxX

"Wooow," Ashley dragged out.

"Oh my god," Hannah gasped.

"Why are we looking at this?" Lydia demanded, unable to keep her eyes from drifting to the object of interest.

"So I can prove to you all my boyfriend has the biggest cock," Tiffany smirked, closing her phone with a loud 'SNAP'.

"Nerd's top all?" she questioned the group.

"Nerd's top all," they agreed.

They were all sitting in one of the library's corners. An assembly had been called but the group (Lydia reluctantly) skipped to hang out. And somehow they had gotten on the topic of guys (like just about every teenage girl in the world) and who was better. Now they were sharing penis sizes, something Lydia and Hannah were a bit uncomfortable with.

"I wouldn't have believed you if you hadn't shown us," Ashley said with a smile, leaning her elbows on the table. The African American girl then laid her head in her hands, a stray glossy black curl tickling her nose as she tried to blow it away.

"But why do you have a picture?" Hannah asked, the tiny Indian girl reluctantly curious. Her thick eyebrows came together in embarrassment, shocking blue eyes darting away .

"The same reason Lydia's got two guys. Because I can," Tiffany said with a smile, raising her arms in defense when Lydia turned sharply.

"What? Why do you keep saying that?" she whispered fiercely, remembering they were in a library.

"Oh please! From what I hear, you've got them both wrapped around your little finger," Ashley teased, grinning when Lydia became more frustrated.

"Yeah, it actually does sound like," Hannah piped in.

Lydia sighed in annoyance, the force causing her bangs to fly up.

"I'm telling you guys! I like Gage, not Beej."

"Well, which one's better looking?" Tiffany asked.

"Gage," Lydia answered.

"Which one makes you laugh more?" Hannah also questioned.

"Beej."

"Who do you have most fun with?" Ashley added, having pulled out a piece of paper and began tallying.

"Beej."

"Who is more romantic?"

"Gage."

"Now, for the final question…" Tiffany trailed off, cracking her knuckles as if getting ready for a fight. "If only one could exist, which would you choose?"

Lydia paused, eyes falling to the table in surprise. It wasn't the fact that she actually had to think, what made her stop was the fact she was about to say Beej with no hesitation at all. This was a really big question, she should have at least stopped to think on reflex! But no matter how hard she racked her brains, the answer always came out Beetlejuice. Looking up at her friends from beneath her bangs, Lydia swallowed as all attention was on her.

"Beej," she answered quietly, flinching when 'WHAT?'s and 'I knew it!'s erupted.

A quick 'SSSHHH!' from the librarian tamed the chaos.

"Well, no matter what the tally that question said it all," Tiffany said, mirth still bubbling in her voice.

"You would choose him over Gage? I always thought you two were made for each other," Hannah spoke, bewildered almost to the point of offense.

"Yeah, I'm confused too. I know next to nothing about this Beej," Ashley pointed out, turning towards Tiffany for answers.

"Hey, don't look at me. I don't know much either. All I know is that he's blond, shorter than Gage, and older than Gage."

"How much older?" Hannah asked.

Lydia thought for a moment, knowing he was well over six-hundred but not knowing his age before death.

"Um…around thirty I think."

"Thirty?" they all chorused, quieting again after another 'sshh' attack from the librarian.

"Wait, you **think** he's thirty?" Ashley whispered.

"Well I never asked," Lydia replied defensively.

"Geez, how'd you two meet? Did he walk up to you in a park and ask if you wanted some candy?" Tiffany teased, only half serious.

"He was our, um, handy man. He would always come and fix the house."

"And you two just hit it off?" Hannah asked, a little less tense now that the situation wasn't as serious as she'd imagined.

"Yeah, we just started talking and really got along," Lydia said with a smile, remembering the first time they'd met.

But before she could drift off onto memory lane, the bell rang, signaling the end of assembly. Grabbing up their stuff and heading out, the girl's waved good bye as they walked to their classes.

"So, do you know how big Beej's cock is?" Ashley urged with a smile, walking with Lydia since their classes were in the same direction.

Lydia grinned, still a little embarrassed with the idea of talking about her best friend in such a way.

"I don't know, but judging by the amount of girls he's been with, I'm sure it's not small at all."

XxXxXxXxX

Boobs.

That's what Beetlejuice saw.

So.

Many.

Boobs.

BOOOOOBSSS…

"Omg, that bra is so cute!"

"Oh wow, we match!"

"Holy shit! Have you grown?"

"Yep, a whole cup size."

"Can anyone help me fasten the back?"

"Take it off, it's all twisted."

Beetlejuice watched from a giant mirror on the wall as a horde of teenaged girls took off their tops and flaunted their bosoms without shame. Grinning lecherously, Beetlejuice waited for Lydia (who was standing next to a locker chatting) to join them.

He had left the ghoul (who's face he'd already forgotten) and wandered the Neitherworld with nothing particular in mind to do. After checking one of his (non-broken) watches, he realized it was almost lunch time, meaning Lydia was still in school. It hadn't taken him long to sense her presence and locate her, and he had soon found himself face-to-face with a nice pair of knockers as a girl checked herself out in the mirror. It was obviously a locker room, currently occupied for gym period.

"Hurry up Lydia," said a passing girl, already changed and heading out the door.

_Yeah, hurry up Lyds,_ he thought with a raunchy grin.

"K," she answered, the girl she was talking to waving goodbye as she went to class.

"Cute bra Deetz," said another passing girl after Lydia had pulled off her shirt.

She gave a thanks and continued undressing, unaware of Beetlejuice's lusty eyes only a few feet away. He watched anxiously as she pulled on her gym clothes, noting that the short shorts barely contained her small but rounded bottom, loving how tight it was even in the crotch area. The plain white shirt didn't have a low collar, but the hem only reached the waistband of her shorts. So with every slight movement, her creamy stomach was revealed along with her cute little belly button.

Once finished Lydia trotted out, leaving her discarded clothes in a wrinkled pile.

_Since when was she so messy?_ he wondered briefly, focusing on her energy and transporting himself to another reflective surface.

Which happened to be a spoon sitting on the bleachers.

It reminded him that he hadn't eaten anything.

"All right girls, let's start off with fifteen laps around the track. I don't care if you walk them all or run them, but the last two people are on ball duty," called the gym teacher, a husky woman who sounded like she'd smoked one too many cigarettes throughout her lifetime.

The girls groaned, knowing that it meant they were playing with basketballs and headed up to the track (a structure built on the second floor that protruded right above the bleachers). Beetlejuice followed them, appearing in the glass of a clock and rolling his eyes at the pestering tick-tock it emanated. The girls climbed the stairs and began running, a couple trotting (Lydia was part of this group), and the rest walked.

He smiled in amusement as she jogged three laps before becoming winded. She then walked for a bit before picking up the pace again. Still not that good of a runner. It seemed some things just never change.

A few of the running girls slowed their pace to match Lydia's and conversed a bit, smiling and giggling before running off again. Beetlejuice contemplated her as she ran, studying her smile and how she had laughed with them. She seemed to have become quite popular judging by the way they had laughed **with** her rather than **at **her. A lot of the girls seemed older however, and Lydia had probably gotten along better with them since they hadn't been with her in her middle-school-outcast-stage.

Thinking further back, he noticed she was smiling a lot more in the times when she **wasn't** with him. And back then, it was pretty rare. But high school had changed her somehow. She seemed more outgoing, her attitude not as dark.

She seemed…happier.

And for one insane and depressing moment, he wondered if she would be able to stay happy even if he left her.

After all, she had plenty of friends, a boy who she could have a potential life with, and such good looks and talent that she could make it anywhere she wanted in this world.

What did she need him for?

A thrill?

A wild time on the other side?

Was that all he was anymore?

With that disturbing thought in mind he followed Lydia back down to the gym area. She had been one of the middle ones to finish and therefore had some time to relax. Separating from the group, Lydia headed over to an isolated water fountain that was hidden behind a wall. She pressed the button that turned on the water, leaning down to take greedy gulps to soothe her parched throat. And then that's when she felt it, a familiar presence she knew all too well.

"Beej?" she questioned, looking down at the fountain's shiny metal surface. Beetlejuice's face slowly appeared, looking disgruntled and failing to hide it.

"Hey babes," he said in his gravelly voice, still perturbed by his earlier musings.

Lydia immediately picked up on his insecure mood, brows furrowing in worry as she studied his face.

"What's wrong Beej?"

"Nuth'n," he mumbled, the sound no more than a whisper.

Lydia looked up then, peeking around the corner to make sure no one was coming. Then she turned back to him, a determined look in her eyes.

"Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice," she whispered quickly and stepped back as her best friend materialized.

Beetlejuice tried to give her his best innocent look but the effect was ruined when he was unable to keep her stare.

"Beej, come on," she urged, inching forward.

"Come on what?" he asked with an undertone of annoyance he didn't really feel. Well, not towards her at least. He was just angry with himself.

"You know what Beej. Just tell me what's wrong," she pushed, taking hold of his hand.

The contact sent electricity shooting through his body, the warmth of it making him want more. But of course, he acted on impulse, doing something he always did when he got uncomfortable.

He pushed her away.

"There's nothing to tell!" he suddenly shouted, a little too hostile when smacking her hand away.

Lydia's heart leapt at his outburst, shocked beyond belief that he'd even raised his voice at her. He'd **never** done this before. Beetlejuice instantly regretted the action, floundering in his mind what to do next. And then her lowered eyes shot up to meet his, but instead of seeing hurt like he'd expected, he was met with anger. Lydia grabbed the lapels of his suit, pulling him down so that their faces were level. Her nose was scrunched and brows drawn together tightly in rage, and for one fleeting moment he noticed just how cute she was when pissed.

And boy was she **pissed**.

"Beetlejuice what the **fuck** is going on?" she hissed, emphasizing 'fuck' and throwing him off guard.

"Uh, I should be asking the same!" he retorted, having no idea where he was going with it.

"What's **that** suppose to mean?" she asked, still holding onto him.

Beetlejuice looked at her, his mouth quirking a bit before lowering his whole head and then throwing it back.

"I don't know…" he muttered, unable to comprehend why he was so shaken up.

Lydia took in his reaction, expression softening. Letting go of his lapels she stepped into his body, her arms wrapping around his waist in a comforting gesture.

"Beej, there's something wrong so don't hide it. You can tell me. I'm you're best friend, remember?"

Beetlejuice's non-beating heart jolted at her statement, causing him to hesitate. Lydia waited patiently for him to return the embrace, relived when his tense body finally relaxed. He wrapped his arms around her loosely at first, but soon his grasp began tightening. He shifted one hand up to her head, moving it so that she nuzzled his neck. The other arm then wrapped fully around her waist, rearranging the position so that their bodies molded together snuggly.

"I'm still your best friend?" he whispered into her hair, flinching at how sappy and pained he sounded.

Lydia's eyes went wide at his tone. She'd **never** heard him talk like **that** before. Not even when he was apologizing.

"Of course!" she replied, tightening her grip and rubbing her face in his neck.

His arms loosened a bit, allowing Lydia to lean back and look at him. His distressed features were alarming, and it broke her heart to see him like that.

"Beej, why would you question that?"

Beetlejuice couldn't help it. He had to tell her the truth. Because right now, he just didn't have the strength to lie.

"Well…it's just…aw hell! It just used to be us ya know? We were partners in crime, thick as thieves! And now you've got other friends and I'm…I'm just-!"

He cut himself off, waiting for Lydia to say something. But she wasn't going to, boring into him with those liquidy chocolate eyes as she silently urged him to finish. He heaved a sigh, forehead coming to rest against hers as they continued to embrace.

"Fuck Lyds…I'm jealous."

His voice was raw with emotion, feeling extremely uncomfortable with expressing what he felt so verbally. He waited for her words of comfort, the reassurance she always seemed to give even if he didn't need it. But she didn't. No words were uttered to fulfill his desperate need. In fact, she did something that almost made him feel even worse.

She laughed.

But then again, it wasn't even a laugh. It was a giggle. A girlish giggle that girls used to signify just how stupid they thought the other person was. And considering the situation, it sounded down right evil to his ears.

He tried to pull away, but her arms moved up to wrap around his neck. Their faces were still pressed close, and now Lydia was regarding him with a mischievous gleam in her eye.

"Ya big goof," she said with a breathy chuckle, caressing his nose with hers and pulling their bodies closer.

"You've got nothing to be jealous about. You'll always be closest to my heart Beej, and nothing's gonna change that. I love you."

Beetlejuice's eyes widened, jaw going slack as he stared at her.

_Love? She loves me?_

But one look in her doe eyed innocence told all.

She didn't love him. Not in **that** way at least.

Not yet.

The unease in his eyes dissolved quickly, the corners of his mouth lifting into a soft smile. Lydia saw this and smiled back, her eyes full of happiness and adoration for her best friend.

"You really mean that babes?" he said in a low, husky whisper.

"Of course," she replied without hesitance, completely oblivious to how her earlier statement could've been taken.

They stayed like that for a while, Beetlejuice just enjoying the rhythm of her breathing and Lydia relishing his cool temperature on her heated body. Then a whistle was blown, signaling that all the girls were finished with their laps. Lydia pulled back slightly, smiled, and then kissed his cheek.

It wasn't something unusual, she was known to give him the rare peck every now and then. But Beetlejuice couldn't help but notice the increase in pressure of this one, and he grinned widely.

"I gotta go back to class. I'll see you after school."

"Sure babes, just say the magic 'B' words."

Lydia smiled, saying his name three times and watched as he disappeared.

Beetlejuice gazed after Lydia from the spoon reflection as she trotted back to class. The girls lined up in front of the basketball hoop from shortest to tallest and began shooting. When it was Lydia's turn, she held the ball awkwardly, bouncing it a bit before shooting. It hit the rim hard, ricocheting back with twice the force and smacking her on the top of the head.

Beetlejuice chuckled, smiling at her lack of sports skills.

Yup, some thing's just **never** change.

XxXxXxXxX

It was lunch time when Lydia left the school building, slowly trekking up the hill to a partly hidden picnic table. She had been very distracted ever since her strange, almost dramatic confrontation with Beetlejuice. During gym, her mind kept drifting off to him, how his face looked desperate and his voice sounded pained. But then she would remember their hug. Well, if you could call it that. Now it seemed too intimate to have been **just** a hug. The memory of his room temperatured body pressed so closely to hers made warmth flood her gut, and she flushed slightly in confusion.

They had never been that close. Not their faces at least. Hugs were often, kisses were occasional, but that kiss…that wasn't as innocent as she had meant it to be. And it was this kind of thinking that had caused many injuries. Bruised and battered from falls and carelessness, Lydia sighed as she reached her lunch spot.

_I just need to stop thinking about it. Beej was just really upset, and the moment was intense._

After convincing herself for a **second** time that she was thinking too deeply about something Beetlejuice did, a roar of an engine was heard as Gage steered down the road and parked. Lydia instantly smiled, ducking her head as he gave her a saucy grin. Once near her, Gage went in for a kiss, not breaking it as he sat down next to her.

"Mmm, taste like gym sweat," he teased, licking his lips for added effect.

Lydia made a face, nudging him with her elbow before pulling out her lunch. They chatted a bit about what had happened so far in school (of course Lydia didn't tell him about Beetlejuice), swapping and splitting lunches like they always did.

Unknown to them, another pair of eyes watched from the reflection of Gage's sunglasses lying on the table. Beetlejuice sneered as he examined his rival, glaring whenever he would kiss or touch Lydia in anyway.

"Only three days left," Gage said as he licked away some stray mustard.

"Till what? Oh! Yeah…" Lydia trailed sheepishly, looking away from him.

"You haven't told him, have you?" he deadpanned, giving her a blank stare.

"Not exactly."

"Lydia-"

"Okay, okay! I'll tell him today," she said with raised arms, balling up her paper bag and throwing it at him.

"Promise?" he asked as they stood and headed towards the trash can next to a tree.

"Wanna seal it with a kiss?" Lydia asked enticingly, raising her eyebrows in a suggestive way.

Gage smiled, deciding not to answer and just go in for the kill. Lydia gasped in surprise as she was roughly pushed into the bark of the tree, allowing Gage to immediately assault her mouth with his tongue. She moaned when his attack gradually lessened, letting their tongues dance deliciously slow in a halfhearted battle for dominance. Gage moved closer, whatever space between their bodies obliterated as he ground his hips into her, causing her to grind back on reflex.

"Gage, we don't have time," Lydia panted.

Gage ignored her, continuing in his ministrations as his hand came down to her skirt. But even with her mind fogged with lust, Lydia gained back some sense and grabbed his hand. Gage gave her a confused look, but a quick glance down gave him a clue as to what she planned to do.

"Yesterday you took care of me. It's my turn now," she whispered huskily into his ear as her hand slithered to his belt buckle. After a few twists of the wrist it was undone, his pants button soon following.

Beetlejuice watched on from her earring (having transported there earlier), his face dark and twisted with jealousy. In the very back of his mind came a thought about how much he liked the sudden changes in Lydia, but it was quickly smothered with overflowing thoughts on how to kill Gage. Slowly. Veeery slowly.

"Shit!" Gage breathily swore when Lydia's bare hand came in contact with his member.

Lydia grinned at his reaction, lightly running her fingertips up and down his shaft before grabbing the head. Gage gasped, leaning on his arms that were gripping the tree on either side of Lydia's head. She leaned in for a kiss, their tongues immediately finding each other.

Beetlejuice studied his enemy, carefully examining his kissing technique and sneering. It seemed the kid had experience, but nothing he himself couldn't put to shame. His scrutinizing gaze then headed south, not really wanting but needing to see what he was up against. Reluctantly, he had to congratulate the kid on his above average cock size. But again, it was nothing he himself couldn't beat.

"Lyds-ah! I'm close…" he trailed, breath hitching as her thumb slip up the middle of his slick head.

"Wow Gage, you're almost never this sensitive," Lydia commented in amazement, knowing he usually lasted **much** longer than this.

Gage smile, leaning close to cup her face gently.

"It hasn't been touched since the last time you did this babe. I didn't even fucking masturbate! I only want you touching it."

His declaration was beyond sweet to Lydia, no matter how dirty the topic. So when he gave her a look, signaling he could go on no longer, Lydia only smiled and nodded. Gage smiled back and leaned in for a final kiss, one that was tender and loving as he gave one last grunt a came in her hand. Lydia made sure none got on her uniform, leaving her with a hand full of sticky whiteness.

Gage caught his breath, giving her a kiss of thanks before leading her back to the table. Using a left over napkin he gently cleaned her hand in silence. It was broken however when the bell rang, signaling their need for departure.

Beetlejuice left shortly afterwards, now sitting in his living dead room to think about what he had just witnessed. In the beginning, he had planned to just flat out refuse when Lydia asked for his blessing to see the boy (god he sounded like an overbearing father). But now…now it was different. He'd been wrong about Gage, thinking he only wanted Lydia for her body. The boy appeared to have very strong feelings for her, ones she seemed to reciprocate (though, maybe not as strongly). He had meant it when he told Lydia he only wanted **her** to touch him, because Beetlejuice could sniff out lies a mile away. And it had been no lie.

Sighing heavily Beetlejuice laid down fully on the couch he occupied, hands coming up to massage his temples. Fuck! The boy was a good kid! He really had no other reason to keep them apart other than the fact that it was **his** Lyds Gage was after. And then there was the fact that Lydia technically **wasn't** even his, crumbling his resolve further.

So the result of all this thinking besides an enormous mind splitting headache?

It was simple, yet the hardest thing Beej could have ever done.

He would give her his blessing, tell her the biggest lie of all time and say he was okay with it. That's what he planned to do. That's what he **had** to do.

But it wasn't something he looked forward to.

**A/N: Yay! Another chapter done! As for reviewers, I want to especially thank NyxLied for their awesome review! It's those kind of lengthy comments that really get my ass kicked into writing mode. So I hope you guys enjoyed this and continue waiting for the next chapter.**


	6. Author's Note

_**A/N: Hey everyone! It's me! Don't worry, I haven't abandoned this story, I've just been doing a lot of school projects (currently engaged with two more). But I promise, by the weekend, or even later today, I'll have the next chapter up.**_

_**WARNING! It's super long. So if you need to, go back and refresh on the characters (mainly Lydia's friends) because they play a big part.**_

_**Here's a little something from the upcoming chapter:**_

_He then looked up, smiling back down at Lydia as he pointed to the ceiling. She looked up too, wondering what she should be seeing before he suddenly cupped her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. One hand braced itself on her shoulder, and Beetlejuice continued to glance up as he leaned his head closer…_

**Well, that's all I'm gonna give ya. Hope it makes you want to read!**

**PS: Thank you all for reviewing, even though I haven't posted in so long! I love you guys!**


	7. The Sleep Over

**A/N: SOOOOOORRRRRRYYYYYYY! I know I promised this for the weekend but I just didn't have time. So to make up for it, this chapter is going to be plenty juicy, and the following will be even better. I've also decided to do a little review corner. All those who review will get responses in the next chapter, and in future chapters. Love you all!**

**WARNING: Girly giggles and Beetlejuice acting ****NORMAL****! Don't believe me? Just read. Oh, Beej gets a little action with Lydia…but what Lydia doesn't know won't hurt her…right?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Beetlejuice. If I did, I would be typing this in the Neitherworld.**

Lydia awoke with a contented sigh, eyes slowly blinking open without any hint of sleep left in her murky orbs. Not even the sand man had visited her last night, the crusty yellow ickyness absent from her usual morning routine. She stared up at the ceiling silently, a smile lighting up her face. Without the usual reluctance to leave her bed, Lydia threw back the covers and jogged lightly to the bathroom. A quick glance at the clock told her she'd woken up almost a full hour early. But you know what? Who the hell cared? She was so happy she could've stayed up all night and still be energized for the next day.

Finishing up her morning business, Lydia skipped down the stairs in her dark flannel pajamas to meet her father just starting to make coffee. He jumped at her presence, cup slipping and landing hard on the counter. He gave his newly chipped glass an annoyed look before smiling at his baby girl.

"Good morning pumpkin, something good happening today?" he asked, a little weary of her cheery atmosphere. He knew she was just like her mother during the mornings, always vacantly staring ahead, looking but not actually seeing.

Lydia brightened even more (if that was possible) at his statement, going over to give him a peck on the cheek.

"Something good happened **yesterday**," she emphasized, pulling out a skillet and deciding to make pancakes.

Charles only nodded, knowing he would only get a vague answer if he asked.

Lydia was grinning as she mixed the batter, even humming a little tune as she poured it into the pan.

Yes, something good had happened yesterday. Something good and **completely** unexpected.

_Last night…_

_Lydia came into her room after school early, throwing her books on the bed and telling herself to do the homework later. Right now she had to call Beetlejuice and see if he was over the recent funk he'd fallen into. To her surprise though, when she turned towards the mirror he was already there. _

_And he looked __**pissed**__._

"_Beej?" she questioned, stepping up to the vanity mirror._

_He was silent for a moment, his green eyes locked onto hers as they practically burned through her soul. His fingers idly tapped the mirror's frame, causing a slightly off beat rhythm of ticks that echoed throughout the silence._

"_Why didn't you tell me," he asked. Or more accurately, __**demanded**__._

"_Tell you what?" she asked, genuinely confused. _

_He took a deep (unneeded) breath, and as he let it out, his eye brows sunk lower, causing an almost menacing display._

"_The boy," he growled._

_Lydia's blood ran cold, eyes widening to the point of tears and mouth dropping open like a fish out of water. Her hands started to shake as he just stared, waiting unusually patient and still for an answer. _

"_Th-…the b-boy?" she stuttered, the words barely a breath but still loud enough for his keen hearing._

"_Yes," he growled again._

_Lydia swallowed, eyes glancing towards the door as if to make a break for it. Then she came to her senses, realizing she was __**not**__ dealing with a feral animal. This was __**Beetlejuice**__ for christ sakes! Her best friend! He'd understand…eventually._

"_What about him?" she asked, her words still shaky but stronger._

"_Why didn't you tell me?" his voice was kept low, and she almost wished he would start yelling. Nothing was scarier than a quiet Beetlejuice._

"_You never asked," she answered a bit snobbishly, even raising her chin defiantly for effect._

"_THAT'S BECAUSE YOU TRIED TO HIDE IT FROM ME!" he suddenly roared, causing Lydia to stagger slightly from the force behind his anger. He'd NEVER been so angry before. Especially not at her._

"_That's not true!" she screamed right back, not caring at the moment that it was a lie._

_Beetlejuice's lip curled in a sneer, and for a brief moment Lydia felt hurt by the gesture. He looked like he was __**disgusted**__ with her. And boy did she take that blow __**hard**__._

"_Ok," she began, lowering her gaze to the floor guiltily. "It is true."_

_After a moment of silence she looked back up. He was deflated against the frame, looking absolutely exhausted. His face was still sour, but his eyes told of how hurt he was._

"_Just tell me why ya didn't say anything Lyds."_

_Lydia blinked at his tone. He really __**did**__ sound tired. Tired of something he must've been harboring for some time._

"_Beej I just didn't want you to get hurt. I mean, the way you reacted to my friends almost broke my heart! I'd think you'd feel even worse if you knew there was someone else who'd take up even __**more **__of my time."_

_Beetlejuice snorted, rolling his eyes and leaning his head in his palm._

"_Babes, you're __**older**__ now. 'Course there's gonna be a boy mixed in there somewhere. I would've understood! Hell! I'm with a different broad every other day!"_

_Despite the situation, Lydia smiled, knowing it was true._

"_**But!**__" he suddenly announced, energy returning full force. "I gotta meet him."_

_Lydia blinked, her 'what the fuck' face causing him to crack a grin._

"_So, whad'ya say Babes?"_

_She stood there stupidly, the realization of what he said finally dawning on her._

_Then, with an earsplitting grin that threatened to tear her face in half, Lydia agreed._

_Present…_

The smell of freshly burning pancakes brought Lydia out of her thoughts, making her frown as she flipped them. Charles glanced over the top of his newspaper at his daughter, watching as she tried to pry the burning pancakes off the pan they seemed to be clinging to. As he studied her, he couldn't help but notice she was growing to be an almost exact replica of her mother. Dark, beautiful, and terrible at cooking. He chuckled at the last part, hoping that when she was an adult she'd find someone able to tolerate her lack of culinary skills. He briefly recalled the young man who'd visited them earlier in the week, feeling slightly ashamed the way he himself had glared multiple warnings at the boy. He hadn't been able to help it at the time, mistaking him to be her teacher or some other form of older man. And teachers did **not** hold hands with their students. Sighing, he looked back down at the paper, unable to focus anymore but deciding to at least pretend. He suppose he wasn't really worried about what kind of boy Lydia would end up choosing, she was a good kid. But something about Gage hadn't settled right with Charles. The naturally feral look of the boy was a little creepy, and Charles almost wished Lydia ended up dumping him.

And speaking of feral, he hadn't seen Mr. Beetleman around lately. In fact, he hadn't seen him for almost a whole **year**. Charles wondered if he and Lydia were still friends, and the thought of them not staying in contact somewhat saddened him. Excluding the fact that the handy man was disgusting, loud, and obnoxious, Charles had actually learned to like the guy. He'd grown use to his presence and odd friendship with his daughter, surprisingly not feeling protective when the older man hung around with her. Though he wouldn't want the two in any romantic situations, Charles felt he preferred Lydia associate with Beetleman rather than Gage.

Setting down his paper and standing, Charles walked over to his junk drawer under the counter. He shuffled around a bit before finding what he was looking for, glancing over at Lydia who had finished her breakfast and was heading out the door. After saying a quick 'goodbye', Charles looked at the time and then the available hours on the slim piece of cardboard held in his hand.

"Good morning Chaaaaarles!" Delia sang in her cheery voice as she swept into the kitchen. "Oh I just can't wait for tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow? Oh yes, tomorrow," Charles said with grimace. Tomorrow was the beginning of a weekend long art gallery showing up on the boarder of Massachusetts. Delia had been crowing excitedly about it for almost a month, and though Charles was reluctant to go, at least he'd known they could trust Lydia with the house. But now…

"Delia, I don't know about Lydia staying here all alone," he began, going over to make his wife a fresh pot of coffee.

"Why Charles? It's not like it'd be the first time. Besides, she's shown us over the years she can handle things on her own."

"Well, it's not like I don't trust her, I know Lydia. It's just now…and that boy…" he trailed off, trying not to trip over his words at the terrible images of the boy and his daughter in the house together. **Alone**.

Delia giggled merrily, leaning over the table to pinch his cheek.

"Oh dear, Lydia's just growing! She'd have to end up with a boy sooner or later."

"I'd rather it be never," he grumbled.

"Well if you feel that strongly about it why not hire someone to come over. You know, a house sitter."

"A house sitter…" Charles repeated, looking back down at the card still clutched in his hand.

Then, with a smile, "Yeah, I can do that."

Charles then went to the phone, looking over the card one more time before dialing the number.

**BEETLEMAN**

**THE HANDY DANDY**

**HANDY MAN**

XxXxXxXxX

"So…he was ok with it?" Tiffany asked. Or more like repeated for the sixteenth time.

Lydia nodded, her grin seemingly permanent.

"Yeah! We had a little fight over hiding things but after that everything went great!"

"You two weren't doing anything…naughty, when he saw…were you?" she asked coyly, eyebrows raising suggestively.

Lydia flushed, shrugging in an 'I don't know' fashion. And it was the truth. He hadn't brought it up and she'd never asked. But she really, **really **hoped he hadn't saw. She had told Tiffany Beej had just been passing by when he'd seen her and Gage, though the question **why** he was even **near** an all girls school was thankfully never brought to attention.

"So what was up with Gabby yesterday? Was she sick?" Lydia changed the subject, leaning against her locker and waiting for the warning bell to ring.

Tiffany's eyes suddenly gleamed devilishly, and Lydia knew some very juicy gossip was about to be told.

"Ok, so you know how school was let out early because of that power outage?"

"Yeah."

"Well, when I drove home, there was another car in the drive way. And it wasn't my parents."

"Well, who was it?" Lydia asked anxiously.

Tiffany made a show of looking around, leaning in close and cupping her mouth.

"Tom Snider."

"Holy shit!" Lydia exclaimed, actually reeling back in pure shock.

Tiffany nodded, giggling at her reaction and continuing the story.

"When he came out and saw me, I swear his balls almost fell off! Gabby didn't talk to me for the rest of the day!"

Lydia held a hand to her gaping mouth, trying not to smile at the absurdity of it all. Gabby had been with **Tom**. The cashier from _Dairy Donny's_ she swore she'd never even look at if she could help it.

"So you don't know what happened?"

"I can take a wild guess from what his hair looked like. It didn't hurt that he had a lipstick smear either."

Lydia outright guffawed at that, pushing away from her locker as the bell rang.

"Hey, was that your name?" Tiffany asked, listening as the intercom droned off announcements.

"I think it said go to the office," Lydia slightly pouted, and Tiffany laughed.

"I'll go with you, gym's my first class anyway."

The two girls then headed off to the office, Lydia a bit more weary since she thought she was in trouble. When they stepped inside they found Mrs. Shannon on the other side of the counter filling out forms.

"Lydia Deetz, your mother called for me to relay a message."

Lydia nodded, her eyebrows coming together in curiosity.

"She says it's about your father and her leaving for their trip. They wanted to inform you of their decision to hire a house sitter."

"House sitter?" she questioned, baffled that her parents would even think of the idea. "Who?"

"The, um, **gentleman** always doing odd jobs around town," she replied with emphasized sarcasm. "Mr. Beetleman."

Lydia wasn't the only one gasping at the news. Tiffany, however, was the only one smiling. Lydia regarded her friend, noting the way her lips curled devilishly and eye lids dipped low in false innocence.

"Well thanks Mrs. Shannon, but we need to get to class now," she chirped in a sugary sweet voice that made Lydia's stomach churn with anxiety. Taking her by the elbow Tiffany quickly dragged Lydia away from the office and out of earshot. Once alone in the hallways she turned sharply on her heal and backed Lydia into a locker.

"Tiffany what-"

"We've gotta come over," she stated excitedly, giving Lydia a hard stare.

"Come over? We?"

"Yeah! The girls! We've gotta come over Friday and spend the night so we can meet Mr. Beetleman before Gage!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hang on a second," Lydia demanded, slipping away from between Tiffany and the locker. "A sleep over? Why a sleep over?"

"Because **he's** gonna be at **your** house **all **weekend! We can learn about him and he can earn the consent of your friends! It's a win win!" she was practically jumping on the balls of her feet now, unable to stand still in her excitement.

"Consent? For what?" Lydia asked suspiciously, frowning when Tiffany just waved her off.

"In due time," she said vaguely, wrapping an arm around Lydia's shoulders and heading off to class. "So whad'ya say?"

Lydia pursed her lips in thought, trying to come up with all worst case scenarios. There had never been any real trouble when Prudence and Bertha would come over, and if there was, danger was always averted some way or another. Besides, Beetlejuice had been acting strangely the entire week. He wasn't as wild and loud as usual, and his part in conversations had deterred, letting her be the one to talk and him to listen. All in all, he had sort of…mellowed out, for lack of better word. So much so that Lydia was beginning to feel antsy with worry. Had something other than what she was aware of happened? She knew she should ask, but also knew now was not the right time. After the whole issue with Gage blew over, Lydia secretly swore to take on a whole day dedicated just to Beetlejuice. She would take out some cash from her savings and treat him to anything he desired (within her budget of course), and then, after he was loose and empty of tension, they'd have a long talk about what was going on.

Mind made up, Lydia turned to her friend and grinned.

"Only if my dad says yes."

_The next day…_

"I can't believe my dad said yes," Lydia stated flatly, riding her bike off road in the grass beside Tiffany and Gabby's Camaro.

"Yeesh, you sound like you don't want us over at all," Ashley stated with mock annoyance, also riding a bike on Lydia's right.

"Yeah, stop complaining Lydia," Gabby said from her rolled down window.

"I'm not complaining, I just can't believe it," she declared honestly. "I mean, a grown man in a house of four teenaged girls. **Alone**."

"Yeah, I was actually surprised my parents let me," Ashley stated, slightly out of breath from keeping up with the car and talking over it's engine.

"We're not. I'm a lesbian and Tiffany's completely head over heals for her boyfriend. How wild could we get?" Gabby joked, though it was all true.

When they made it to the house the twins parked their car in the empty driveway and the other two leaned their bikes on kick stands behind it.

"No one here?" Tiffany asked as Lydia jiggled the door open with her key.

"No. My parents left after I went to school and said Beej will be here soon."

"So where's Hannah?" Gabby asked once they were inside.

Back packs were thrown aside haphazardly near the door as the girls piled in and began looking around.

"She said she had to stop by her house first, but she'll be here. Any one want a drink?"

"I'll take a coke," the twins answered simultaneously, titling their heads painfully as they tried to decipher one of Delia's paintings.

"Grape soda," Ashley answered, finished with her inspection of the first floor and heading towards the second.

Lydia entered the kitchen and opened the fridge, smiling happily when she found that her parents had stocked it with 'teenaged girl' items. She grabbed two cokes from the top shelf, pushing past a multitude of frozen pizzas to snatch a grape soda then shuffling through tubs of ice cream for an orange one. Piling them into her arms Lydia kicked the fridge shut and went into the living room. The twins grabbed there's and Lydia tossed Ashley's up the stairs for her to catch. Fifteen minutes of touring passed before the door bell rang. At once all the girls raced anxiously to the door, stopping just short of crashing and causing a pile up. Lydia shot them a look and smiled, walking calmly to the door and opening it.

The group of girls let out a grunt of disappointment when Hannah was revealed. A decidedly **guilty** looking Hannah.

"I'm sorry," was the first thing she blurted, and they were about to ask why before they looked down.

Just above her knee rested a small, pudgy hand, holding the front of her jeans in a death grip. Then the hand retreated behind her legs, replaced with a small tuff of hair as a head slowly peaked out.

"And who is this?" Lydia questioned in amusement, her voice cutting the silence and making the head retreat.

"It's only for a couple hours, I swear!" Hannah squeaked apologetically, stepping in and forcing the small being attached to her legs to follow. Once inside the little person found himself surrounded by the girls behind him. He then suddenly bolted, running towards the couch, jumping on it, and then successfully hid his entire body under a decorative pillow.

"So who is that?" Ashley repeated Lydia's question.

'"My little brother, Louis," Hannah replied with a sigh. "My parents asked me to baby sit last minute until they got back. I told them I was coming over here but they just said take him with me."

Lydia smiled and patted her shoulder, trying to calm her friends growing annoyance. When angry, Hannah's accent thickened, and sometimes they just couldn't understand what the hell she'd be ranting about.

"It's all right if it's only a couple hours. I'm sure Beej won't mind."

"Yeah, I hope not."

At the mention of someone else who he might encounter, Louis's head peered over the top of the cushion, burrowing deeper into the crack of the couch.

"Hey Louis," Lydia began, not moving from her spot. "You want anything to drink?"

The boy hesitated, his dark brown eyes locking onto hers. He seemed to study her, finding no deception and silently nodded, his black wavy locks swaying as they were slowly uncovered. Lydia grinned, asking Hannah what he would normally drink and quickly retrieved a root beer. Louis had now lowered the pillow to his lap, figuring there was no current danger in the residence and allowed Lydia to come close and hand him the soda.

"He's cute," Gabby commented.

"Yeah, really adorable," Tiffany agreed.

"I know a heart breaker when I see one," Ashley added.

Louis gradually pulled away the pillow with each comment, practically beaming and looking at Lydia expectantly. She chuckled at his eager behavior, reaching over to ruffle his hair.

"The handsomest boy I've ever seen."

A half hour later Louis was no longer shy, having taken a real shine to Ashley and was practically sitting in her lap as they settled in for a movie. Lydia was in the kitchen watching the last minutes tick away as the pizza cooked, shouting her approval to the movie they decided on. It was when she pulled on the oven mitts that the doorbell rang a second time that afternoon.

Everyone in the living room stiffened, heads turning around so fast Lydia worried they might've gotten whiplash. They looked ready to jump out of their seats but Lydia motioned for them to stay put. Taking a deep breath she casually walked over to the door and opened it. But any calm expression she wore was immediately wiped away, and without meaning to Lydia gave a rather audible gasp.

Standing, no, **leaning** on the other side of the threshold was…was…someone. Someone Lydia probably wouldn't have recognized unless she did a double take.

"Beetlejuice?" she whispered in disbelief, used to being surprised by his disguises but never have been confronted with…**this**.

"Careful with the B words Babes," came a low, liquid chocolate voice that went through her ears and flowed warmly to her core. It wasn't **nearly** as gravelly as his normal one.

"Why are you…" she began, but didn't know how to finish. She really just **couldn't** describe it.

"What? You expected me to meet your new friends in my Beetleman act? Old Chuck hasn't seen me in forever, he'd just think I cleaned up."

And when he said clean up, he **really** meant **clean**. Beetlejuice's normally deathly pale skin was now a couple shades darker, the bags and discoloration gone from around his eyes. Even the yellow tint that usually surrounded his green irises was a healthy white. His flatly colored blonde hair now had a distinct shine to it, his widows peak gone and wildness tamed. But not just tamed, shorter. It no longer reached his shoulders but ended just below his ears, the usual craziness now toned down to a stylish ruffle. Hell, he even had bangs that brushed the top of his eyes! Her gaze drifted lower, noticing his cheeks and neck were slimmer. In fact, his whole body had gone down a couple sizes. She honestly couldn't remember a time when she'd seen his gut that small. And then, she noticed with a startling realization, saw that he was not wearing his suit. Instead, he wore an outfit similar to when he was disguised as cousin BJ. He had a striped t-shirt, the same black and white design as his suit, but instead of ending loosely mid thigh, this one was tighter, the hem reaching just below the pockets of his jeans. Jeans that were also noticeably tighter, sporting a hole that exposed his right knee. The only thing that hadn't really changed was the pair of beat up old sneakers on his feet. But what really took the cake was that he was clean.** Completely** clean. Not a speck of dirt could be seen, and Lydia even noticed he smelt slightly like Gage's cologne.

"Like it?" he asked, smirking inwardly as she studied him with open awe.

"Well I…wow."

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" A feline appeared on her shoulder, a pink piece of flesh hanging from its jaws with a sticky note that said 'Property of Lydia' attached to it. She couldn't help but chuckle, coming out of her state of shock and reaching out to grab his hand.

"You look amazing," she whispered, shooting him a dazzling smile before leading him into the living room.

"Girls, this is Mr. Beetleman, but you can call him Beej," she announced, letting go of his hand and stepping away.

Beetlejuice felt slightly irked when she announced the free use of his nickname. It was almost as if she'd made something private, something only between them, public. But he let it go, deciding to not let it bother him. Instead he focused on the girls, jumping a little when he found all eyes on him. He recognized Gabby and Tiffany, but the other two were new to him. And then there was that little mound of fabric huddled under the couch…

Lydia watched as her friends scanned Beetlejuice, leaving no inch un-scrutinized. She noticed Ashley squinting hard at an area below his torso, and then quickly realized with embarrassment that Ashley was sizing up his package. Glancing over at him Lydia tried not to smile as he soon began to squirm under their gazes, giving him a discreet nudge to say something. Beetlejuice looked down at his best friend, taking in her silent reassurance and turning back to the others.

"Hiya ladies," he began, flashing a smile that was most definitely **not** green and snaggletoothed. "The names Beetleman, Beej, B, BJ…" he trailed off and made his way over to stand in front of the group. "But **not** blow job."

This caused Ashley to giggle, the twins to crack a smile, and Hannah to blush. He then turned to the twins, crossing his arms over one another as he reached for a hand shake.

"Gabby, Tiffany," he stated, motioning to the two with his hands. They nodded in surprise and reached out to shake.

"How do you know us?" they asked in unison.

"Lyds told me all about the mall trip."

Gabby stiffened, glancing over at said girl who quickly shook her head. Then she relaxed, retracting her hand so that Beej could move on.

"And you two are…?" he trailed, reaching out in the same manner as he'd done with the twins.

"Ashley," the African American girl answered eagerly.

"Hannah," the Indian girl replied shyly.

Beetlejuice gave another charming smile, causing Hannah's tightly pursed lips to curl.

"And what…" he began, suddenly dropping to his knees and peering under the couch, "is this?"

Louis jumped at his sudden presence, shrinking further away. Hannah was about to explain but was cut off when Beetlejuice suddenly came back up and sat crisscross on the floor.

"Ah, I see, the strong, silent type," he declared in an overly dramatic voice. "I could never compare! Of course such a fine young man as great as **he** would have no time to spare to even look at **me**!" By the end of his little speech, Beej had slung a hand over his face, adding sniffles and snorts of dejection. Lydia giggled at his act, smiling widely when Louis had begun to crawl towards him. Beetlejuice peeked out from under his hand when he felt a tug on his pants leg. Louis had now abandoned his cover completely, looking up at Beetlejuice with eager eyes.

"What is it oh great one? Do you really wish for my attentions?" Beetlejuice questioned, the disbelief laid on so thick that all the girls were barely able to contain their laughter.

When Louis straightened his posture and nodded, Beetlejuice was suddenly up on his feet, sweeping Louis up into the air above him.

"Well that's great!" he declared with a cackle, swinging the child around once before throwing him on the couch next to Ashley.

Louis squealed in delight, thrashing and kicking violently as Beetlejuice began tickling him. By then all the girls were keeled over in laughter, having been swept up in the mirth and unable to tear their eyes from the scene.

Lydia would have loved to stay and watch more, but the scent of burning quickly drew away her attention.

"The pizza!" she exclaimed, getting ready to dash into the kitchen.

"Don't worry Babes, I'll get it," Beetlejuice said, taking the oven mitts from Lydia and walking towards the kitchen. Then he looked over his shoulder. "Little man, wanna help me out?" Louis nodded, jumping off the couch and trotting into the kitchen as well.

Lydia smiled, going over to her friends and plopping down in her father's recliner.

"Soooo," she dragged, motioning to the kitchen.

"I like him," Ashley was the first to say, the twins agreeing with her statement.

"Yeah, he's really good with kids," Hannah stated, and Lydia knew that once Louis was won over, she was won over.

"Well, he **has** known me since I was twelve. Plus he's a lot like a kid himself once you get to know him."

The girls quickly quieted when the object of their conversation strolled in. He carried one pizza in each hand, setting them down on the coffee table and motioning for Louis to pass out the plates. The girls gave their thanks and began filling their plates, Beetlejuice graciously claiming the burnt ones (though Lydia was the only one who knew he actually **liked** them).

"So what's the film?" Beetlejuice asked as he plopped down next to Lydia, an arm automatically going around her shoulders as they huddled close in the cramped space.

"_The Adams Family_," she answered, the top of her head coming over to snuggle under his chin.

They both looked up just in time to catch everyone else looking away, fighting to keep the small smiles off their faces as they tried to seem innocent. Beetlejuice smirked, glancing down at Lydia's suspicious face.

"So what took you so long getting here?" she finally asked, absently watching Gabby slip in the movie.

"I had some things to do," he replied vaguely, squeezing her shoulders to reassure it hadn't been anything bad. And in fact, it really **hadn't** been anything bad. Just stressful. He'd spent half the day pacing in front of his mirror, arguing back and forth with himself (literally since his reflection accidentally came to life) on how he should look when he showed up. He didn't know whether or not to go as his disgustingly handsome self (how he so modestly put it), or as his Beetleman disguise (not that there really was much of a difference). So then, after throwing a few temper tantrums and pulling out a couple clumps of hair, he decided to just make up something **completely **new. He'd then proceeded to bounce around the living world for awhile, stopping by hair salons and scanning teen magazines. And after hours of agonizing torture, he'd finally created his latest disguise.

A clean cut, flowery smelling **freak**.

Otherwise known as, the heart throb.

Lydia accepted his answer, biting into her pizza and stretching out the cheese. Beetlejuice quickly followed suit, enabling Lydia to see the only thing that hadn't undergone any major changes was his table manners.

"You've got a cheese face," she said with a giggle.

"Where?" he asked, trying to locate the stray topping with his (now pink and normal sized) tongue.

Lydia laughed again, reaching up and wiping at the corner of his mouth. But before she could retract it, Beetlejuice leaned forward and closed his mouth around her fingers.

"Eew!" she exclaimed, wiping her slobbery hand on his shirt and making a face.

"What? No need to waste perfectly good cheese," he said with a blank face. They stared at each other for awhile before Lydia smiled, Beetlejuice giving in as well with a low chuckle.

"You're gross."

"Someth'n I don't plan on change'n Babes."

With that they laughed some more, both reaching for more pizza and seemingly oblivious to the other room's occupants amused stares. Then the movie started, and Lydia had gone to dim the lights before settling back down. Beetlejuice wasn't really watching the movie, having seen it plenty of times when it first came out the year before. He then sat and reflected on those times, remembering how he and Lydia had sprawled on her bed together. The contact hadn't mattered back then. The way their sides pressed together as they laid contently on their stomachs, elbowing each other every once in awhile to get up and make more popcorn had no other motive behind it but friendship. But now his motives had changed, and the contact they shared now was both calming **and** making him antsy. But he restrained himself, lidding his eyes slightly and tried to relax. Which wasn't hard really, considering the warmth radiating from her clothed body was slowly lulling him to sleep…

About halfway through the movie, Beetlejuice startled awake when Lydia began shifting restlessly. He watched through his sleepy haze as she pulled her arms into her shirt, drawing up her knees and curling into a ball.

"Ya cold babes?" he asked, running a hand down his face to wake himself up.

"A little," she admitted, and Beetlejuice understood. Just because he was in disguise didn't mean that the fact that he was still **dead** had changed. His body offered no heat, always staying room temperatured. Getting up he headed upstairs to her bedroom, going to her closet and retrieving the spare blanket on the top shelf. It was something he did often whenever they just hung out in her room and watched movies. Trudging back down the stairs he stopped and regarded the small recliner. Finally he motioned for Lydia to stand and handed her the blanket. She did so and then wrapped it around her shoulders, turning to sit back down but was surprised when Beetlejuice took up the whole seat.

"Beej where am I suppose to-"

"Just climb in my lap Babes. It'll be a lot more comfortable than try'n to squeeze us both in this thing."

Lydia studied him for a moment before agreeing, turning around and sitting on his knees. Beetlejuice then grabbed her from behind, lifting her a little so that she could settle. He then crossed his arms around her front, forcing her to lean back into his chest with his head resting on her shoulder. Lydia smiled at the position, remembering a time in the Neitherworld when they had posed in a photo booth sitting the exact same way. Then when she looked back up, she just barely missed her friends' heads snapping back towards the movie, unable to see their wide grins in the dark. Beetlejuice could though, and he couldn't help but smirk. The other girls were **really** getting a kick out of Lydia and his interactions, and he hoped that throughout the night he'd be given the opportunity to put on more of a show.

After he was sure Lydia was fully focused on the movie, Beetlejuice took the opportunity to feel her. Not **grope** her or anything but just sharpened his senses and zeroed in on the parts of his body touching hers. Her warmth was slightly smothered by the blanket but he could still feel it on his arms, his stomach, and his…

He shifted a little, quickly realizing it'd been a bad idea as his little self ground further into her heat, unable to control its growth as her soft body fueled his libido.

_Just calm down B man…think of bunnies…and soft furry creatures…with black fur…like the color of Lyds's hair…Lyds is soft…and there's something soft in my hand… _

His brow furrowed at the last thought, causing him to look down and see exactly **what **he was holding onto. When he finally comprehended what it was, Beetlejuice just sat and stared, eyes bulging and hoping to whatever deity was out there that Lydia hadn't noticed.

It was her boob.

Her **boob**.

**His hand **was completely cupping **her** **boob**.

What the hell was up with all the boobs lately?

Beetlejuice swallowed, trying to stay as still as possible. Lydia hadn't said anything so he figured she hadn't noticed yet. He looked around the room, wondering if anyone else had seen. Ashley, no. Hannah, no. Tiffany, no. Gabby…oh shit. She was staring right at him! Beetlejuice quickly made a panicked face, trying to convey a silent message to her that he had **not** planned to do this. Gabby regarded him for a moment, eyes shifting between his face and the offending hand. Then she smirked, seemingly understanding his innocence and gave him a nod.

"Hey Lydia, can you get me another coke?" she asked, and Lydia was quick to please, allowing Beetlejuice an excuse to let her go before she took notice of the position. He then looked back over to Gabby, relief and gratitude written all over his face. Though Beetlejuice had never been one to voice his thanks, he was at least willing to do so with expressions.

When Lydia came back and gave Gabby her coke she and Beetlejuice resumed their position, but this time he kept his arms on the recliner's arm rests.

When the movie was over and Louis was effectively scared shitless (give the kid a break, he was only three), the girls quickly began trying to find things to calm his nerves. Lydia was the first to offer ice cream, but Louis didn't even have the appetite to finish his pizza. Beetlejuice suggested hand shadows on the wall, but one look in his horrified little eyes told them all he would be jumpy about **hands** for **some** time. Hannah spoke up then, suggesting one of Louis's favorite games. Charades.

"Oo oo oo! Me and Lyds are on a team!" Beetlejuice declared, wrapping an arm around her shoulders so no one else could claim her.

"Now wait a minute, I don't think that's fair," Gabby began.

"Why not?" Tiffany asked.

"Yeah, why not?" he grouched, feeling betrayed after he felt they had become friends over the whole boob incident.

"They're best friends right? So of course they'd be able to understand each other's body language better. Just like me and Tiffany, we'll be on opposite teams and so will Hannah and Louis."

"Oh, that makes sense. So it's siblings against each other and best friends against each other. Good idea," Lydia said excitedly, happy about a little competition. Beetlejuice on the other hand was **not** so keen on the idea and opened his mouth to object. But one look at Lydia's elated smile made the words die on his tongue.

"All right then, let me go get the charade cards," Hannah said, walking over to where her over night bag rested.

"Wait, you already had the game?" Beetlejuice asked.

"Well, yeah. I wanted Louis to have something familiar," she replied, a little embarrassed. Lydia smiled at the obvious love she held for her brother. Sometimes, it just made her wish for someone like that. She glanced over at Beetlejuice as he sat down with his team, Louis, Ashley, and Gabby. She looked over the changes, once again almost unable to believe her eyes. He just looked so…normal. And for reason she…she…

She didn't like it.

Not.

One.

Bit.

She understood at least that he did it for the sake of her friends, but she found herself unable to wait for him to change back to normal. She missed his unusual and feral appearance. She missed his pudge and never-been-washed-suit. Hell, she even missed the beetles between his teeth! Lydia shook her head, angry at her own annoyance.

_He's still your best friend. No matter what he looks like he'll always be the same Beetlejuice._

He looked up then, catching her eyes and making her realize she'd been staring. He gave her a kicked puppy look, clearly not happy with the team arrangements. She could only smile at him, a challenge gleaming in her eye to inform him that she would be showing no mercy. He took the bait, frown turning into a grin as he narrowed his own eyes in acceptance. And when Hannah came back, the game began.

Louis went up first, picking from the right stack of cards. There were two stacks sitting on the table, one with green backs and the other with red. The red cards were ones for Louis, simple cards like farm animals since the little three year old was able to read very well for his age but only small words. He looked the card over a few times and thought for a moment, finally putting down the card and getting into position. He put his hands in front of him, grabbing at the air and then turning them side to side like he was driving.

"Car!" Tiffany yelled, beating Beetlejuice to it.

Louis shook his head once, waving his hands as if to say 'close'.

"Truck!" Gabby guessed. Louis made a face and shook his head. Then he ran around the room while still miming the wheel, going around the couches counterclockwise.

"Race car!" Hannah shouted, causing Louis to stop and begrudgedly hand over the card. Lydia, Tiffany, and Hannah passed around high fives before Hannah got up for her turn.

She picked from the left this time, reading over the card and making a face. Finally she laid it down and stood there thinking.

"The thinker!" Beetlejuice shouted in triumph, seemingly completely serious. Gabby elbowed him.

"She hasn't even started yet."

Beetlejuice rubbed his side and sneered playfully.

"Now she has," he grunted, nodding his head over to Hannah.

She had her hands balled up into fists and arms bent above her head. She brought them up and down several times, breathing hard and making strained faces.

"Constipation!" Beetlejuice cackled, and all the others couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Weight lifting!" Lydia yelled.

"Exercising!" Gabby shouted.

"Body builder!" Ashley finally said, earning a groan from Hannah as she handed over the card.

This went on for a solid two hours, the victories going back and forth as both teams were neck in neck to be the first with fifty. There were many easy ones that were acted out ridiculously (most were Beetlejuice's), and some were kind of hard, taking a bit more effort to solve. There was one that really surprised everyone when Louis suddenly yelled "Psychiatrist!" which happened to be to right answer. It was the first and only time he'd spoken throughout the entire game.

By the time almost all the cards were gone, the score was forty-nine for Beetlejuice's team and forty-eight for Lydia's. Beetlejuice was up, deciding to choose one of the more challenging cards. He picked one up, stiffening slightly when he read the subject. Then he relaxed, a saucy grin slowly forming as he put it down.

"Lyds, I'm gonna need your help on this one."

Lydia nodded, knowing some of the cards needed to be acted out with a partner. He motioned for her to grab the crook of his arm, and when she did he began leading her around the room. He then stopped and began to shiver, rubbing a hand over Lydia's arm.

"Cold?" Hannah guessed, but Beetlejuice shook his head and indicated there was more.

He took a hefty jacket off the coat hanger and quickly released her to put it on her.

"Christmas!" Gabby guessed, and Beetlejuice nodded to show her she was on the right track.

He then looked up, smiling back down at Lydia as he pointed to the ceiling. She looked up too, wondering what she should be seeing before he suddenly cupped her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. One hand braced itself on her shoulder, and Beetlejuice continued to glance up as he leaned his head closer…Until finally, when their faces were but an inch apart, he quickly ducked his head to the side, planting a small kiss to her cheek.

"Kissing?" Tiffany said with a slight gasp.

"No wait, mistletoe!" Ashley declared, and Beetlejuice pulled away from Lydia to go and high five his team mate.

"Woo-hoo! We win!" he hollered with joy, picking up Louis and celebrating their victory. "In your face Lyds!" he shouted with a smug smile, and Lydia could only push away the finger he shoved in her face.

**Well**, she certainly hadn't expected **that**.

Truthfully, she had really thought he was going to plant one on her lips. She'd been so shocked by the thought that she'd froze up, unable to move as he played out the charade. And when it was over, she'd tried to catch his eyes to try and guess what he was thinking. He made no indication that he'd meant anything by it, so she figured it was all in fun and decided to ignore the (strangely) pleasant tingle that lingered on her cheek. Completely dropping the subject from her thoughts, Lydia quickly made her way to the kitchen where her friends had begun to gorge on ice cream without her.

A few minutes later the doorbell rang, and Lydia answered it to find Hannah and Louis's parents. Louis was reluctant to go home, and when he was pried away from Ashley's legs he was quick to escape and hide behind Beetlejuice's. He only chuckled, promising to see the boy again **only** if he listened to his parents. A deal was struck as the boys shook hands, Louis then wishing to seal it further with a pinky swear. As the two were saying good bye, Lydia heard the siblings' father whisper to his wife how he'd never seen Louis so taken with a man. Lydia smiled softly, thinking silently how great of a father Beetlejuice would be when he settled down. **If** he settled down that is. Though he was normally gross, obnoxious, and (for the most part) unpredictable, tonight really showed Lydia he could be a man when needed.

She blinked after that part, a starling realization coming to mind. That had been the first time she had ever really…**thought** of Beetlejuice being **man**. Which it was obvious that he was one, but…she'd never (in their entire friendship actually) thought of him as anything else **other** than her best friend. Lydia glanced over at him as he stood in the kitchen, talking and smiling with Ashley. His eyes were lidded, his smile only half of what she usually saw and leaning back against the counter casually. In her new vision, Lydia realized that his body language practically **screamed** male, the pheromones oozing thickly from his natural flirtatious stance. Ashley seemed to be very effected by this, and Lydia watched on as she unconsciously stepped slightly closer to Beetlejuice. Lydia frowned at the sudden tug in her gut, confused when it seemed a small ball of ice had begun to form in her stomach. It was a very unpleasant feeling, and she forced herself away from the scene to try and rein in what felt like...

She had no time to ponder however when Tiffany's voice suddenly rang out.

"Hey Lydia! Didn't you say you guys had a karaoke machine?"

Beetlejuice's eyes suddenly lit up as he ran to his best friend.

"Yeah Lyds! The one in yer closet! I'll go hook it up."

And with that he left the group and bounded up the stairs excitedly. All the girls giggled at his actions, following shortly after.

"Hey Lydia," Ashley whispered, pulling her back and slowing their pace.

"Yeah?" Lydia asked, tilting her head to the side when Ashley hesitated in her answer.

"You really like him, don't ya?" she finally asked, and it took a moment for Lydia to catch on.

"Who? Beej? What do ya mean I really like him?"

"Well…fuck Lydia, I saw you look'n at us. Man, if looks could kill…"

Lydia was suddenly reminded of the unpleasant feeling, embarrassed that she had unintentionally given her friends the stink eye.

"But hey, you don't gotta worry about me. I'm not after him. He's nice and all, but I don't flirt with older guys. He's all yours girl, I'm root'n for ya!"

Ashley patted Lydia's shoulder and gave her a dazzling smile. Lydia never got a chance to deny anything before the subject of their conversation came yelling down the stairs.

"Come on Babes! Hurry up!"

His impatient voice immediately brought a smile to Lydia's face, and both girls started up to her room, all the while rolling their eyes.

XxXxXxXxX

Beetlejuice grinned lazily as he stood in front of Lydia's closed door, rocking back and forth on his heels as he waited to be let back in. He'd been momentarily kicked out for the girls to have a little bit of privacy.

Karaoke hadn't lasted long. The girls had all decided on taking turns, playing rock paper scissors to see what the order would be. Hannah was up first, surprising everyone when she did _Sussudio_ by Phil Collins. She was a little shy, becoming embarrassed and almost backing out. But he had began egging her on, hoop'n and holler'n which riled everyone up. Once she got her confidence, Hannah had sang through the song, a blush sharply contrasting her tanned skin as the rest of the group cheered her on. Ashley was second, and Beetlejuice furrowed his brow when all the girls squealed. He soon figured out why they were so excited when she began to sing. His jaw had dropped in disbelief when the song _I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)_ began playing, Ashley's voice ringing out and sounding **exactly** like Whitney Houston. The girls got **so** into in fact that they weren't able to sit still, all jumping up and doing the crazy dance moves from the 1980's music video (which was only five years ago). He himself didn't join in, only because Lydia hadn't asked him too. He had felt a little put off when she seemed to have forgotten about him, but one look at her sparkling smile quelled his heated jealousy.

Tiffany and Gabby had both gotten up to do a song together, arguing a little before settling on the song _Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)_ by Eurythmics. Everybody settled during that song, heads bobbing heavily to the beat as the twins harmonized. At one point near the end of the song Lydia had looked over to him, a silent agreement passing through them that they would be singing together. And he had known exactly what she was going to pick. Sure enough, when it was their turn, Lydia went straight for the J's, grinning at him as they picked up their microphones. The girls all perked up when they heard the intro, excited about the song that had been chosen. But soon, their smiles turned into frowns, and after only a spit second when the two best friends had began to sing, laughter broke out across the room loud enough to wake the neighbors. Lydia had known she wasn't the best singer in the world, and Beetlejuice's gravelly voice was enough to make a deaf man cover his ears. _Jump in the Line_ by Harry Belafonte blasted through the small television set as the two of them sang terribly off key, arms hooking around each others shoulders as they continued on, oblivious.

They sounded so horrible, it was almost good.

After the song ended everyone agreed to quit while they were ahead, nobody able to trust themselves to sing without laughing. So with a little bit of (discreet) juice from Beetlejuice, he'd moved the bulky machine back into her closet while pretending to roll it (even though he was too lazy and just let his magic do the work). He'd sat on Lydia's bed for awhile as the girls began setting up their sleeping areas, spreading out sleeping bags and blankets. It was when they began to pull out their pajamas that he realized he'd been forgotten, smirking slightly and waiting for them to notice. All the girls had gotten their tops off when Hannah suddenly squealed, grabbing her shirt that had fallen to the floor and clasping it tightly to her chest.

"What's wrong?" Gabby asked immediately.

"Beej is still in here!" she squeaked, causing all the girls to stop what the were doing and quickly turn to him.

He just continued to lie on Lydia's bed with his arms behind his head. He raised an eyebrow, motioning with one hand for them to ignore him.

"Oh, by all means don't mind me," he said casually, fighting off a leering grin.

Ashley had stepped up then, walking a little closer and putting her hands on her hips.

"Get out," she demanded with as much authority as one could when down to only their underwear. Beetlejuice gave her a once over before rolling his eyes, heaving an over dramatic sigh as he sat up from the bed.

"It's not like something I've never seen before," he muttered with a smirk, ruffling Lydia's hair as he walked by and out the door. And that's how he ended up outside the room, waiting patiently to be let in while entertaining himself with the image of his topless Lyds…

XxXxXxXxX

As soon as Beetlejuice left the room, Lydia found herself on the receiving end of eight curious eyes. She shrunk back from their intense gazes and stepped away when they began closing in.

"What was that?" Hannah demanded.

"What was what?"

"Oh don't give us that! He was **clearly** indicating that he'd seen you naked before!" Ashley declared with a huff.

"Wait, naked? No! I might have changed in front of him once but-"

"You what?" came the disbelieving voices of the twins.

Lydia was now backed against her bed, the pressure of it on the back of her knees enough to make her topple over.

"When did this happen?"

"Why did you do it?"

"Did he seduce you?"

Lydia's face was aflame as the questions were hurled in an unrelenting speed. She quickly scampered to the middle of her bed as her friends jumped up to join her, circling and trapping her before she could get away.

"Guys! Cut it out! He was here when I went to the mall!"

Gabby and Tiffany gasped, mouths open in shock at the fact that he'd been right under their noses.

"So, anything kinky happen?" Gabby asked with a grin.

"Ooo, I bet he made a couple grabs," Ashley teased while pinching Lydia's butt.

"Yeah, cop a feel did he?" Tiffany joined in, cupping Lydia's boob and they all laughed when she swatted the offending hand away.

"Guys! I swear! Me and Beej are just friends!"

"Friends with benefits?" Hannah asked boldly, shocking Lydia enough to forget to deny it.

"Uh-oh, she's not saying no-o!" Gabby sing songed, earning a couple high fives.

"Ugh! You guys are sick!"

"What? What's wrong with get'n it on with an older guy?" Ashley asked seriously.

"It's not just that he's older than me! We've been best friends since I was like, twelve!"

"Actually, that is kinda weird," Tiffany said with a slight grimace, earning a 'thank you!' from Lydia.

"Besides," she began, squeezing herself out of the circle to finish changing. "Beej isn't into that whole young-school-girl thing. He likes seasoned women. Trust me, I've seen them. Top-notch sex machines."

The other girls had also began dressing, each pursing their lips in thought at her statement.

"Sooo…he's not into the whole taking-a -virgin thing? I thought all guys liked that," Hannah asked, her cheeks red with embarrassment for voicing the idea.

"Yeah, you're still a virgin right? Who'd be better to give it up to than your best friend?" Gabby said, nodding to Hannah.

"What? Why on earth would you think that?" Lydia asked as she finished pulling up her sleeping shorts.

"Well I did it," Tiffany said.

"Me too," Gabby admitted.

"Yeah, so did I," Ashley stated.

Lydia and Hannah both looked at each other, feeling slightly out of place. The only two virgins…

"You at least gave him your first kiss right?" Ashley asked.

"No, that was Gage," the twins sighed simultaneously.

"Geez, way to make me feel like I made the right decision," Lydia grumbled, walking over to the door.

The girls quickly quieted as Beej reentered the room, not even trying to hide the fact that he was giving them all a once over.

"Hey, tell me why it always takes girls so long to change. I've never figured it out," he said casually while walking back over to the bed and sprawling on it. The girls all looked at each other with smiles.

"We talk," Tiffany said and then made her way over to her bag.

"Well so do we guys but shit, it's not like we gotta stop everything we're doin," he mumbled in a low tone.

Lydia smiled at him and he smiled back. She briefly wondered where all the foul language had come from. Not too long ago he would always try to keep tabs on what he said, trying not to make her uncomfortable. **Now** though, it seemed like his inner sailor had emerged, almost worrying her with how abrupt the change had been.

Seriously, what was up with all the changes lately? It made her feel like she was missing something.

"All right guys, you know what time it is?" Ashley suddenly began, taking a seat on the floor. The girls shrugged, following her lead and making a circle. Beetlejuice slid off the bed, squeezing in between the twins.

"What's goin on?" he asked once settled.

"Truth or dare?" all the girls asked at once.

"Truth or dare," Ashley repeated in confirmation.

Beetlejuice swallowed, trying not to show his nervousness towards the subject. He'd haunted many houses that'd hosted all girl sleepovers, and he knew just out of hand they could get…

"Gabby, truth or dare?" Ashley began.

"Truth," she said after a moment's thought, ignoring the chicken noises Beetlejuice made.

"Who did you lose your virginity to?"

All the girls gasped, smiling in anticipation. Gabby scowled, looking at the wall to her right with sudden fascination.

"Tom," she finally muttered, and a collection of giggles erupted from the group.

"I knew it!" Tiffany shouted.

"When?" Hannah exclaimed.

"Two years ago," Gabby admitted in a defeated voice. "We used to hang out all the time when we were younger. But when that happened and…I don't know, I guess I freaked!"

This conversation went on for awhile before moving on.

"Hannah, truth or dare?"

"Dare," she said calmly, causing everyone to smile in surprise.

Gabby thought for a moment, looking around the room as if it would help her come up with an idea.

"All right, let's go to the kitchen."

All the girls (and Beetlejuice) left the room, Hannah paling a bit with each step down the stairs. Tiffany quickly made her way to the fridge, apparently knowing exactly what her sister planned to do. Lydia grimaced as they began to pull out many liquids from the fridge, and not all of them necessarily drinks. She slapped Beetlejuice once when he'd taken a step forward, fully intent on helping them with their creation. By the end of it, Hannah found herself staring into a swirling brown mess of multiple sodas, barbeque sauce, soy sauce, Kool-Aid, and chocolate mixing powder. Everyone winced as she picked it up, using both trembling hands to bring it to her lips.

Beetlejuice watched on, impressed when the girl chugged about a fourth of the monstrous concoction before suddenly turning green and rushing to the sink. Everyone laughed, helping Hannah get over her sickness, and then she too beginning to laugh. When they were finally done and turned his way, he made sure all eyes were on him before he quickly grabbed the cup and slurped the rest down. The twins and Ashley squealed in disgust, Hannah turned green once more, and Lydia guffawed at the smacking sounds of satisfaction he made once finished.

And through all the gags and exclamations of horror, Beetlejuice found himself on the receiving end of a playful shove.

"That's my Beej," Lydia whispered to him, and the husky quality of it sent electricity racing up his spine.

For about another fifteen minutes the game continued in Lydia's room, trivial things like, "Is it true you had a thing for Danny?" or "I dare you to lick her shoe.". The girls had figured out Beetlejuice could handle anything they dished out, no matter how gross or embarrassing it was. And Beetlejuice found himself relaxing as the game progressed, glad there had been no intense lesbian make-out sessions to get him aroused. But it was Tiffany's dare, however, that finally set him in uneasy, and dangerous waters.

"I dare you…" she began, biting her lip hesitantly before locking eyes with him. "I dare you to kiss Lydia."

Lydia's mouth dropped in silent shock, and Beetlejuice's back went rigid with excitement. The others had similar faces as Lydia until the idea finally sunk in.

"Do it," Ashley demanded.

"Yeah," Gabby egged on.

Hannah, although not verbally, agreed.

Lydia turned to Beetlejuice, intent on backing him up when he denied the request. But instead of the incredulous look she expected, she found herself snared in his heated, mossy green eyes. They seemed to be glowing, the irises becoming acidic as the intensity of his stare grew. A sudden heat flared through Lydia's body, and she was sure the entire span of her skin had become pink.

"A dare's a dare," he simply said, a devilish smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. Lydia was completely floored when he was suddenly hovering over her, not able to register exactly when he'd moved, and could do nothing but squeeze her eyes shut as his lips came within only centimeters from hers. And just like that, the feel of his body was gone, and Lydia opened her eyes in shock at a gentle pressure on her forehead. Beetlejuice leaned back and gave her a saucy grin, borderline cocky. In all the years of their friendship, he'd made surprising her to the point of speechlessness one of his main goals, and it seemed he'd finally succeeded. Lydia was jostled out of her state by a collection of disappointed groans. Beetlejuice's face twisted a little in annoyance as he stared at the pouting girls.

"What? You expected some tonsil hockey or someth'n? Geez! She's a minor fer cry'n out loud! A kid! It's not like I'm gonna jump her bones or anyth'n."

The silence that followed said that was **exactly** what they had expected, and inwardly, Beetlejuice was kind of glad they'd wanted him to do it. He jumped slightly when Lydia suddenly stood, muttering something about being thirsty before walking (rather stiffly) out of the room.

Once at the bottom of the stairs Lydia stopped in front of a small oval mirror, startled at what was reflected back. Her lips were pursed in a deep, angry frown, cheeks flushed in an almost violent red, and eyes glistening slightly with small, gathering tears. She quickly used her pajama sleeves to wipe at them, barely audible whimpers of outrage escaping every now and then. Lydia stomped into the kitchen and away from what was supposedly herself. She didn't understand why she was so mad, and the confusion only served to frustrate her further.

He'd called her a kid, so what? She'd been called worse. So why? Why did it make her so furious at the fact that Beetlejuice didn't see her as a young woman? Hell! He was over forty times her age! Even her great, great, great grandpa was considered a kid compared to him! Still, even with all that, the tightness in her gut didn't dissipate. The spot on her forehead where he'd kissed her suddenly flared with heat, and Lydia almost got a piece of ice to cool herself down. Instead, she just opened the fridge and basked in the cool air.

_Ok, just calm down. He's your best friend and said those things so you wouldn't get the wrong idea. Yeah, that's it. Didn't want to get the wrong idea…_

She wasn't totally convinced, but it was enough for her to be able to return without giving away how much the whole incident had effected her. Grabbing a soda and wiping her eyes a final time, Lydia took a deep breath a headed back to her friends.

XxXxXxXxX

Beetlejuice gazed up at the ceiling from his place on the floor. Then he shifted a bit on his makeshift bed, kicking the blankets on top of him off to the side. Hannah, who lay nearest to him, snorted in her sleep at the noise he'd made before settling again. Tiffany's foot was what greeted him when he rolled onto his side, and he flinched when she twitched, almost kicking him in the face. Sitting up with a groan, he made sure all the girls were sleeping soundly before taking to the air and floating over to Lydia. She was the only one in her bed, all the girls agreeing it'd be unfair if one of them also slept in it while the others took the floor. Gently, he lowered himself to lay beside her, the bed big enough so he wouldn't be pressing against her side. Not that he would have minded…

Lydia let out a sigh, rolling over onto her back. Her pajama shirt opened slightly, flashing a little bit more of her creamy skin. Beetlejuice swallowed, hand reaching out to trace her collar bone before sliding down further, easily unbuttoning more buttons to reveal the valley of her breasts. She shuddered in her sleep, mouth opening in a silent breath. Beetlejuice licked his dry lips, daring to go even further as to dip his hand into her shirt completely. Lydia's back arched when his fingers brushed a peaked nipple, her own hands gripping the sheets. Beetlejuice closed his eyes, relishing her heat and the soft groan that emanated from her lips.

This was it…

He couldn't stop…

He needed her now…

All he had to do was wake her up and-

"Gage," she breathed, just barely above a whisper in her sleep induced state.

Beetlejuice froze, inhaling sharply as the name cut into him like a jagged knife. Slowly, he retracted his hand, careful not to wake her up as he faded away from the room.

XxXxXxXxX

"God damn it…" Beetlejuice grumbled, taking a large swig from the whisky bottle in his hand. One good thing about being the Deetz's handy man throughout the years was that he knew where all their alcohol was stored. Seems like old Chuck needed some liquid courage every now and then too.

Muffling a burp so as not to wake any of the girls, Beetlejuice heaved a sigh, leaning back against the counter next to the refrigerator.

She'd said **Gage's** name…not his. Not that'd he'd even expected her to say anything, but the fact that she **did** and it wasn't **his** name really got under his skin. Taking another swig, Beetlejuice replayed the scene over in his head, squeezing his eyes shut at the vivid memory of the feel of her skin.

Of course she would say Gage's name. He was the only one that had ever touched her like that. That thought made Beetlejuice feel a little better, but not by much. He needed to find a way to get in her head, make her be reminded of **him** in those heated moments. But how? How could he do that without scaring her off?

"What the fuck can I do?"

"Well what do you want to do?"

Beetlejuice startled at the voice that wasn't his own, whipping around so fast he almost dropped the whisky.

His eyes landed on Gabby who stood near the entrance with her arms crossed over her tank-top clad torso. She gave him a look, clearly indicating she wanted an answer.

"Uh, hey kid. Whatcha doin up this late?" he asked, glancing over at a nearby clock that read 1:30am.

"I could ask you the same thing," she said, walking closer to where he stood.

"Couldn't sleep," he stated truthfully with a shrug. Then he held out the whisky. "Want some?"

Gabby rolled her eyes and smirked, reaching into the fridge for cola.

"What kind of adult are you?" she asked, opening her can and taking a swig. "Everyone around here is so prissy and clean cut. Why are you so different?"

Beetlejuice chuckled, taking a swig of his own drink as well.

"Dunno, guess I was jus born that way."

Gabby smiled, settling next to him against the counter.

"You were thinking about Lydia, weren't you?"

Beetlejuice locked eyes with her for a moment before looking to the floor.

"Yeah," he admitted.

"You like her, right?"

"Yeah," he said a little quieter.

"So why don't you tell her?"

Beetlejuice's nose twitched, trying to come up with an answer that didn't completely sound like bullshit.

"Is it because you're a ghost?"

His head snapped up at that, eyes wide and jaw slack.

"How did you-"

"I saw you. Before you came down here I saw you hovering over Lydia…and doing other things…"

"You're not gonna tell her are ya?" he asked, suddenly panicked.

Gabby laughed, trying to stay quiet in case she woke anyone.

"No, no. Don't worry, I won't snitch." She giggled again when he heaved a sigh of relief. "But I want to help."

Beetlejuice gave her a side ways glance.

"How?"

"Well…I don't know. But I'll think of something. I just don't want you to give up."

Beetlejuice's face twisted into annoyance, a retort poised on his tongue.

"And don't try to deny it. I know a quitter when I see one."

He rolled his eyes, emptying his bottle and tossing it into the trash. Gabby followed, trudging behind him as he neared the stairs.

"Oh, by the way. Why aren't you freaked out about this whole ghost thing?" he asked honestly.

Gabby smiled, having been wondering when he'd ask.

"Me and Tiff were pretty much raised around ghosts. We could see them ever since we were old enough walk. It must be a twin thing."

Beetlejuice nodded, understanding completely and knowing it being a 'twin thing' was the truth. When they reached Lydia's room he raised a hand to ruffle her hair, smiling when she swatted him away.

Gabby was right. He couldn't give up.

Not now.

Not ever.

**A/N: Woohoo! End of chapter! The end was kind of rushed, I admit, but finally we're starting to get into the real drama! Gabby is helping Beetlejuice…so who's gonna help Gage? Keep reading to find out! **

**PS: If you want to see what the Karaoke machine looked like go to this website: **

.


	8. It's Complicated

**A/N: Happy Thanksgiving! Phew, I finally got this chapter finished, figured it best to post it on the holidays. Sorry I've been gone so long, but school has just really been a pain in the ass. I want to thank rion, kiss-m3-kill-m3, Starling Powers, Angel of Randomosity, and RKF22 for reviewing! Enjoy!**

Lydia gasped as cool hand ghosted over her neck, so light it could have been a breeze. But no, the hand was definitely solid, for another soon joined it by burying itself in her hair. Something pressed against her forehead, another forehead perhaps? She couldn't tell, unwilling to open her eyes as she experienced the amazing tingling sensation from the hands on her.

"Kiss me," she heard herself say, but couldn't remember opening her mouth.

The pressure on her forehead receded, and a softer one descended upon her cheek. She groaned in disappointment and was answered with a chuckle, deep and throaty that for some reason reminded her of whisky. Perhaps it was because of the delightful burning in her gut that deliciously flared as the vibrations of the sound coursed through her.

Wait, when did a body get there?

Lydia didn't have time to ponder however when said body pressed close to hers, pushing her down into what she could only assume to be a bed. She groaned at the weight, but not in discomfort, and a slight shift revealed the body to be male. The shiver following her action wasn't expected, and she moved again, fascinated by the tremble racking through his body.

"You keep that up, you'll be in trouble babes."

Babes?

That nickname-

Lydia cried out suddenly, completely taken by surprise when the male ground against her, the evidence of his arousal grinding into her own.

But wait a minute, judging by the rustle of clothing she was still in her pajamas, how could that have felt so good?

"'Cuz I'm the ghost with the most babes," the man declared cockily, grinding again and starting a slow rhythm. She must've voiced her question, but the strangeness of him answering was quickly forgotten. Hands seemingly out of no where began grabbing at her breasts, buttocks, hips, thighs…there were too many to have been just one person.

Lydia cried out again, this time in confusion as she was suddenly, but swiftly, twisted until on all fours. The hands had kept their position, but the body was now hovering over her back.

_Doggy style_, she thought, and wanted to giggle, but the only thing that came out was a breathy moan as the man placed kisses up her back. Two pairs of hands squeezed her breasts and thighs simultaneously, and at that moment the moistness of her junction was finally noticed. The man seemed to have caught on to her revelation as well, and without even moving, his chilly breath was suddenly gusting against her pajama clad woman hood.

"Lyyyyydiaaaa," she heard him sing-song, but ignored it as she tried to push back into his face.

"Lydia," the voice wasn't playful anymore, but urgent.

And a slightly higher pitch?

"Lydia!"

XxXxXxXxX

Lydia awoke with a jolt, sweating and panting as she looked around frantically.

"What? What?" she breathed in panic, head swiveling around to meet with the excited face of Tiffany.

"Shh, be quiet! Come here and look at this!"

Still a little dazed, Lydia shook her head to clear the fog of arousal. Wait…why was she aroused again? Tiffany gave her no time to ponder as she all but dragged Lydia out of bed.

"Scoot over so Lydia can see!" she whispered excitedly, and Lydia found all her friends flushed, sitting on their knees in a circle around…

"HOLY- MMMPH!"

A hand swiftly muffled her outburst, and all Lydia could do was stare at the item before her.

A penis.

Wait, no, an erection.

A very, LARGE erection.

The owner of said erection snorted, nose wrinkling in sleep and completely oblivious to the gawking girls surrounding him. All at once, Lydia's dream came crashing back, all the feelings of cool skin meeting heat in an almost painful clash, causing tingles of pleasure to shoot deliciously up her spine while a moistness began settling once again between her thighs-

"So I was right, he **is** packing," Tiffany whispered in a controlled squeal. Gabby was still too flustered to retort, and the only other girl able to speak was Ashley.

"Think we should wake him up?" she asked, her voice cracking a bit as she continued to stare at Beetlejuice's large member standing proudly out of the man hole built into his Joe boxers. Lydia, too, was not able to look away, even when Tiffany's grip retreated. Her mind was running a mile a minute, and all her thoughts were centered around one particular ability Beetlejuice had impressed her with to no end…

_Dream bridging,_ she thought with a gulp, her throat having gone dry from the revelation. Had Beetlejuice really…NO! There was no way in hell he'd ever do that! The only times they dream bridged was when he couldn't sleep and would decide to mess around in her subconscious. But even then, the occurrences were rare, only because Lydia would wake up even more tired than before she'd fallen asleep. But that wasn't the point! Why would he ever do something so…so…

Beetlejuice grunted, his slim body (he was still in disguise) arching in a stretch, and all the girls shuffled back quickly, though none of their gazes wavered. He opened his eyes slowly, blearily taking in their forms before sitting up.

"Was up?" he slurred, blinking slowly at each of their wide eyes. His hazy vision cleared a bit at Lydia, and the remnants of his own dream came back, causing his hard on (which he was still oblivious to) to give an involuntary twitch.

This did not go unnoticed by the girls.

"What're ya'll stare'n at?" he asked, slightly more awake now and lowered his head in the direction of their stares. Once realization dawned, Beetlejuice suddenly gave a yelp, tugging at his wife beater to cover the rod he, in another time and place, would have gladly shown off. Tiffany, Gabby, and Ashley laughed at his embarrassment, Hannah blushed profusely, and Lydia found herself locked in his panicked eyes. There was something within them, and Lydia recognized it as guilt. So did that mean…?

"Hey Beej, why don't we give ya a minute to get rid of that thing and we'll go make breakfast," Gabby declared, giving his shoulder a firm pat before exiting the room. The others soon followed until only two occupants remained. Lydia glanced at her best friend, finding herself unable to meet his eyes. Beetlejuice was in the same state, but a swift kick to his courage allowed him the ability to speak.

"Um…sorry?"

Lydia looked up at the uneasiness in his voice, and for a moment, she saw that he truly was scared of what her reaction would be. Cheeks still flaming with embarrassment and confusion, Lydia was able to pass off the color as a rosy smile.

"It's okay Beetlejuice, but I don't think that's the best way to start off the morning."

Beetlejuice laughed, relief coming off in waves as he slumped down to sit on her bed. Lydia's breath hitched slightly, the thought of Beetlejuice aroused and on her bed causing her heart to almost burst in a strange adrenaline rush. The only way she could describe the feeling was…excitement…

"I jus' hope I haven't scarred ya fer life or someth'n," he said with a low chuckle, the new sultriness Lydia detected flinging her mind into the gutter her dream had created. His laugh was the same as in the dream, low and gravelly, but oh so arousing. Lydia wanted to scream, tear out her hair, do something to defuse the horrific feelings suddenly bombarding her, but all she could do was smile and laugh along.

"Geez, you act like I've never seen one before."

Oops…she hadn't meant to say that…

He raised an eyebrow, something flashing in his eyes before he gave a devilish grin.

"Was it Gage's?" he asked in an almost mocking tone.

Lydia gave a curt nod.

"Am I bigger?" Again, his voice was playful, but this time there was also a hint of genuine curiosity. Lydia opened her mouth before thinking, and at that exact moment, Lydia's true fall from grace began. The conversation she was about to start would change their friendship forever, and she was too embarrassed to even realize it.

"Why would I tell you that?" she began with a wrinkle of her nose.

"'Cuz I'm curious. What's the matter, need another look to compare?" Beetlejuice teased, jokingly grabbing the band of his boxers.

Lydia gasped, quickly closing the distance between them and placing her hands upon his. She had thought he was serious, and had planned to stop him before she ended up gaping like a fish again. But now she was even closer to him, hell, she was touching him! And where their skin touched, both parties felt a searing heat burn between them, causing them to lock widened eyes. Lydia's breathing became shallow, or perhaps, she wasn't breathing at all, and Beetlejuice saw that she had absolutely no idea what to do. Forcing himself to relax and not ravish her right then and there, he calmly took her hands into his own and acted as if examining them.

"You really have grown Lyds," he whispered, but it felt like a shout to Lydia's ears.

She tensed as his thumb drew lazy circles on the back of her hands, then moving up to rub her arms just above the elbow.

"That's what time does," she replied, not aware of her actions as her knee came up to rest between his legs, bringing their bodies closer. Lydia's mind had begun shutting down, no coherent thoughts coming to mind as Beetlejuice slowly placed her hands on his shoulders. However, on the contrary, his mind was a flurry of activity, his stomach a twisted mess of butterflies and beetles.

This was it, he was going in for the kill.

"Well, I'll have to tell time to slow down."

He wasn't aware of what kind of crap was spewing from his mouth, but it was enough to snap Lydia from her almost hypnotized state. She tensed, ceasing all movement that would have brought them closer. At his slightly disappointed, and yet panicked look, Lydia swallowed her anxiety so that she could voice her confusion.

"Beej…what were you dreaming about?"

Beetlejuice's eyes widened, and after a split second of shock he coughed uncomfortably.

"Lyds, I don't think ya need to hear what I dream about."

Lydia's stomach fluttered, whether it was a pleasant feeling or not, she still wasn't sure. She gave him a look that meant she wasn't backing down, and Beetlejuice leaned back, rubbing his neck uncomfortably and looking anywhere but at her.

"Well, I guess yer old enough to know this stuff…"

Lydia held her breath.

"See, there was this ghoul a couple days back that really got my juice goin, and I haven't been able to stop think'n about 'er all week. We, uh…fucked, and I couldn't get enough of it. I guess she jus made her way inta my dreams."

Now, all of that was actually true if one knew all the facts. The ghoul was obviously Lydia, and when he'd said they fucked he was referring to how he kept envisioning her while sleeping with another woman. But instead of her going into his dreams, **he** had been the one invading **her** mind. So really, he hadn't lied.

Lydia could tell he was speaking the truth, but didn't know the hidden meanings, and she wasn't prepared for what happened next. Her entire body went cold, as if someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water on her. A terrible cloud of depression filled her mind and just the tiniest of tears pricked her eyes. Beetlejuice looked alarmed, but inside he was pleasantly confused. She thought he had been dreaming of another girl and that made her…sad?

"Lyds?" he questioned softly, bringing his hands up to cup her face.

Lydia gasped, surprised at the flood of emotion that was quickly escaping containment.

"Wha-?" Her hands shot up to wipe away the tears. Why was she crying? And because she couldn't answer her own question, it made her cry more. Beetlejuice began to feel uncomfortable, his inability to quench the flow of tears making him squirm.

"Babes…" he began, but Lydia put a hand to his mouth.

"No…don't-" she choked on her own words, the tightness of her throat constricting her ability to speak. Beetlejuice did the only thing her could think of. He pulled her into a hug, and she immediately fell into place, arms coming up to wrap almost crushingly around his neck. And then they just sat there, bodies clinging to each other for dear life as they waded out the tears.

Finally, after a few moments, Lydia found her voice.

"Sorry…" she said, and Beetlejuice could feel the burn of her cheeks against his neck. She was embarrassed.

"Babes, what's the matter?"

Lydia leaned back, her tear glistening eyes causing him to start breathing with anxiety. Then she smiled, hands wiping away the remaining liquid.

"It's just like when you came to me. Remember? You were afraid of losing me?"

Beetlejuice nodded, a little disappointed at her confession but hiding it well.

"I just thought you'd leave me for this new ghoul…"

"Babes!" he cried incredulously. He grabbed her shoulders and held her at arms length. "Come on! You know me better than anyone! I'd never leave you for some…**slut**!"

Lydia giggled, and the softness in his wild eyes calmed her nerves.

"She's a great lay, I'll be honest, but she'd never replace _you_ Lyds. I only go to her for sex!" He then felt daring, taking a risk to initiate a new level of teasing. "Unless _you_ wanna start putting out…"

He trailed off with a wriggle of his eyebrows, and Lydia's mouth dropped in a large smile.

"Beej!" she exclaimed, slapping his arm and causing him to chuckle.

"Like I said babes, yer grow'n up. It won't be long 'till ya start roll'n around in the sack."

Lydia blushed, not necessarily embarrassed, but happy that he was starting to see her as an adult. Last night she'd gotten so emotional about being called a kid, but now she understood. He hadn't really meant it.

"LYDIA! STOP FUCKING AROUND AND COME EAT BREAKFAST!AND I MEANT THAT LITERALLY!"

The two best friends jumped at Ashley's voice, having forgotten that they weren't the only one's in the house. Beetlejuice grinned, sweeping Lydia up with him as he stood. Lydia squealed when she was roughly tossed over his shoulder, kicking and laughing as he made his way out of the room.

"Beej, stop! I can walk!" she gasped between her giggles.

"Stop complain'n, it's a free ride!" he cackled, trying to scare her by jumping down the stairs four steps at a time.

Four heads peeped out of the kitchen, watching as the two bundles of joy headed down the stairs.

"I wonder what happened," Hannah whispered.

"Who knows," Ashley and the twins said with smiles and a roll of their eyes.

"But whatever happened," Gabby began, stepping back into the kitchen. "I hope it lasts"

XxXxXxXxX

Beetlejuice paced the living room, ears straining to detect any on goings outside. The girls had left hours ago, and Lydia and he had just gotten back from the Neitherworld. As soon as they'd stepped back into the world of the living, the phone had rang. It was Gage. He was calling to remind her of him coming over. Lydia freaked, locking herself in the bathroom and leaving Beetlejuice to his own devices. He checked the time. 7: 30. The boy was late.

Beetlejuice grunted and continued his pacing. The boy was going to ask for his blessing (sheesh, he really **did** sound like a father), and he didn't know what to do. He'd already told Lydia he was fine with it, so how was he suppose to reject the boy without him running to tell Lydia?

Then he heard it.

A motorcycle.

It was pulling into the driveway.

Beetlejuice froze, head turning slowly as he heard Gage's feet crunching against the gravel. Once the boy reached the door, he knocked, and then waited. Beetlejuice's head whipped towards the stairs, knowing he should go get Lydia. However, she was taking a bath right now, and no matter how much he wanted a peek at her sensually naked body, he knew this was not an opportunity to pass up.

It was time for intimidation.

He heard the boy shift, about to knock again, but Beetlejuice began walking to the door, making sure his footsteps were loud and distinctly masculine. He could sense the kid tensing, and Beetlejuice grinned. He stopped, using his juice to create over-the-top noises, making it seem as if he was unlocking twenty different locks that weren't even there. He was creating an atmosphere, and the tension leaking from the boy into the air only fueled Beetlejuice's drive.

Then he opened the door.

XxXxXxXxX

Gage swallowed, the hair on the back of his neck bristling with his frazzled nerves. The door was opening, and he wasn't prepared for what was behind it. A head of shaggy blonde hair peeped out, looking annoyed and arrogant. It was a man that looked to be in his mid twenties, and Gage would have been lying if he said he wasn't at least a little intimidated by the wild look he sported.

"Yeah?" the man asked gruffly, opening the door the rest of the way to reveal him leaning against the doorframe.

Gage gawked.

_THIS_ was Lydia's best friend?

What the fuck…?

"Um, hi. My name is Gage, uh, Lydia's friend," he explained awkwardly, reaching out a hand in greeting accompanied by a nervous smile.

Beetlejuice's lidded eyes looked down at the hand with as much interest as he would a rock.

"Friend hm?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, and Gage withered a bit.

"Well I-"

"Save it," Beetlejuice dismissed with a wave of his hand. "Come on."

Gage followed Beetlejuice in, looking around and trying to remember if anything looked different from the last time he'd been there. It was a little messier, and he remembered Lydia telling him about the sleepover she'd had last night. It looked as if she hadn't cleaned up very much, what with the askew pictures, plates full of half-eaten pizza, and-

Gage stopped when he reached the living room, staring at a pair of striped pants lying haphazardly across the back of the couch. Something was on them…He moved closer, noting a rather large stain on the crotch area. Beetlejuice appeared next to him, a smirk on his face as he picked them up.

"Yours?" Gage asked.

Beetlejuice nodded.

"Soda?" Gage indicated the stain.

Beetlejuice snorted.

"Obviously not," he stated in a tone that made Gage feel belittled. "Sleepovers with a bunch of teenaged girls usually get out of hand."

Gage bristled at the not-so-hidden-meaning in his words, and he found himself devoid of speech as the man walked away into another room. Did he mean…?

"Gage?"

Gage turned violently, almost tripping over his own feet to look at Lydia. He immediately smiled, taking note of her slightly damp hair. She must have been in the shower…

"Babes, you forgetting something?" came Beetlejuice's voice, and Gage did a double take as he appeared on the stairs behind Lydia. How had he-?

"Beej!" Lydia exclaimed in embarrassment, trying desperately to grab the underwear he held out of her reach.

"What?" he cackled, and Lydia laughed as well, finally grabbing the underwear. She slapped his chest, and a few words were exchanged that Gage couldn't hear. A look of uncertainty crossed Lydia's face, but a rather unsettling grin from Beetlejuice erased it.

"Beej wants to talk to you Gage. Alone. I'm gonna go into my room, play nice."

This last bit wasn't aimed at him, and Gage got the feeling that if Lydia hadn't said it, something bad would've happened. When she left, Beetlejuice began a slow decent down the stairs. When he reached the bottom, Gage noticed he wasn't as tall as himself, and he drew himself up to try and appear bigger. The small comfort didn't last long however. This man was…off, somehow. And when he offered him to take a seat on the couch, Gage could not shake the image of a snake from his mind. He was just so feral looking, it was if he was something that didn't belong in this world.

Then again, he could be over reacting.

"Jesus, sit down already. What's the matter, got a stick up yer ass?"

Beetlejuice sneered at the boy who seemed daunted by his rude behavior.

Good.

"Hey, listen," Gage began, taking a seat on the couch across from him on the recliner. "I don't know if we got off on the wrong foot or something but-"

"Yeah, you get off all right."

"Excuse me?" Gage asked in a slightly higher pitched voice. He didn't like where this was going. "I don't-"

"Cut the crap, I know what Lydia was doing behind my back. And I know why she did it. She told me. But that doesn't mean I like it."

Gage's jaw tightened, afraid to speak. Making this guy angry was clearly a bad idea. Funny though, how intimidated he was. Comparing them side by side, Gage would look to have the upper hand. He was very muscular, and this Beej guy wasn't _nearly_ as toned as he. Plus there was a height difference, as well as a weight one. But Gage was smarter than that. He knew something was different about this guy. Something unnatural.

And it scared the hell out of him.

"I'm sorry," was all he could say, and he felt relieved when Beetlejuice just leaned further into his seat. "We should have told you."

Beetlejuice's eyes narrowed, mouth twitching with indecision. Gage just thought it was annoyance.

"So what do you want with my Lyds?"

Gage flinched at the "my" part, unnerved by its possessiveness. However, he answered without hesitation.

"I want to be her boyfriend."

"You want to fuck her?"

Pause.

"Later in the relationship. If she'll have me."

"It's a yes or no question."

"Yes."

To Gage's surprise, Beetlejuice relaxed, hand coming up to rest his head in as he set his elbow on the arm rest. They stared at each other for a moment, then Beetlejuice smirked.

"Yer not the only one."

Gage reeled back at the confession, shocked at how straightforward and unashamed he was in admitting it. Beetlejuice inwardly cackled at his reaction.

"So you-"

"I'm not gonna hide it, I want Lydia."

"But still!" Gage exclaimed furiously. "That's illegal! Lydia's not even seventeen yet!"

"Do I look like I care?"

Gage's blood turned icy at the look Beetlejuice gave him.

He really _didn't_ care.

"Look, I just wanted you to know. Lydia doesn't, but I want you to. Do you realize what's gonna happen?"

Gage shook his head, and Beetlejuice's smile twisted sadistically.

"I'm the closest to Lydia, I'm with her almost all the time. Hell, she even changes her clothes in front of me."

Gage stood, his breathing heavy and face red with compressed anger. Beetlejuice never broke eye contact though, not even to watch the large veins on Gage's clenched fists pulse rapidly.

"You'll be suspicious all the time. And Lydia hates jealousy."

Gage took deep, even breaths, running both hands through his hair in an attempt to calm down. He wanted to murder this guy! He was so close to pounding in his face, but there was one thing holding him back. Lydia. She'd never forgive him, not even if he told her the reason. Wait…

"I'll tell her," he stated, his voice almost a growl.

Beetlejuice didn't even blink.

"Go ahead, I dare ya."

Gage jumped at a sudden shock moving up his spine. His mouth opened in a silent cry of surprise, but then the feeling was gone. There was no lingering evidence of it ever happening. It was almost as if he'd imagined it.

"We're done here," Beetlejuice stated, standing up and moving back to the stairs.

He called for Lydia, and after a moment, her figure appeared leaning over the railing. Hopping down the stairs she smiled at Beetlejuice. However, her look of happiness quickly disappeared at Gage's disturbed features.

"Lydia, he-"

He stopped, finding himself unable to finish his sentence. He tried again, but whatever he was going was instantly erased from his mind. When he stopped trying, he remembered, but didn't open his mouth again.

What was happening?

"Gage?" Lydia asked worriedly, touching his arm gently.

He looked at her, confused, and he watched as she shot Beetlejuice a questioning glare. He only shrugged, looking just as confused as Gage.

"All right you two love birds, get outta here!"

He pushed them towards the door, and Gage was shocked at his sudden change in demeanor. He was acting as if nothing had transpired between the two of them, and Lydia seemed to be buying into it.

"Bye Beej," she said, quickly turning and giving him a hug. "Thank you."

Beetlejuice hugged her back, a genuine smile crossing his features before glancing up at Gage. His smile turned lecherous and taunting, riling Gage up by placing his hand dangerously close to her bottom.

"Have fun."

XxXxXxXxX

Lydia watched the passing trees quietly as they sped down the road on Gage's motorcycle. He hadn't said a word ever since they left the house, and his tense body was starting to get uncomfortable. She didn't know what happened between him and Beetlejuice, but if it was enough to unnerve Gage, it must have been bad.

"Gage?" she questioned quietly, almost unheard over the rushing wind.

"Yeah?"

"What did you and Beej talk about?"

He went silent, and Lydia felt hurt. What wasn't he telling her?

"Gage?"

Silence.

"Gage!"

A sigh.

"Lydia…" he began, then seemed to rethink what he was going to say. "What do you think of him?"

"Who?"

"Beej."

Lydia lifted her head up in confusion, not that he could see her expression anyway.

"What do I think of him? He's my best friend."

"Nothing else?"

Lydia's mouth opened in disbelief, and her brow knitted in anger.

"Gage, what did he say to you?"

When he didn't answer, Lydia beat her fists on his back in fury.

"Pull over!"

He did, and when he got off, his face was immediately introduced to her palm.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Are you seriously suggesting that I'm cheating?"

Gage didn't look at her.

"Mentally maybe," he mumbled, immediately regretting the words.

Lydia gasped, tears coming to her eyes at the accusation. Then she turned, storming off back the way they came.

"Lydia wait!"

Gage ran after her, grabbing her hand and spinning her into his chest. Lydia fought back, yelling profanities and kicking at his shins. He only held her 'till she calmed, her breath beating furiously into his neck.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," he whispered, voice cracking.

Lydia fell silent, waiting for him to say more.

"He was just…not what I expected."

It was a lame excuse, he knew, but it was enough for Lydia. Her tears ceased, and she hiccupped once. Gage chuckled, pulling back to show his sincerity.

"Lydia, I've never felt this way about anyone before. It's hard to deal with something I've never experienced. It's hard to control myself."

Lydia melted.

She couldn't help it.

"It's okay," she said, gently stroking his cheek. "Come on, let's go."

XxXxXxXxX

"Gage, seriously, where are we going?"

Lydia didn't get an answer, but she could practically see the smirk on his face as he led her blindfolded to only god knows where. They'd parked at the edge of Winter River Park and gotten as far as the tree line near the playground before she had to put on a blindfold.

"Okay, we're here," he whispered into her ear, simultaneously releasing her from darkness.

Lydia blinked, eyes adjusting to the light. Then she gasped.

"Gage! Oh my…wha-?"

She ran forward, and Gage trailed slowly behind her, grinning from ear to ear.

"Had to make a couple calls, but it seems like my family comes in handy every now and then."

Lydia squealed in delight, eyes shining as she stared at the object before her.

"I can't believe you're gonna take me up in a hot air balloon!" she exclaimed excitedly as she lightly touched the basket attached to a tie-dye balloon.

"Hey, Cuz!" a man Lydia hadn't noticed shouted. He came up beside Gage and clapped a hand on his shoulder. Another man came up to Lydia and began talking with her.

"Hey Jake," Gage greeted, not taking his eyes off Lydia.

"That yer girl?" Jake asked with a low whistle.

"Yeah…"

Jake looked at his cousin, silently questioning his tone. Gage sighed heavily, making sure Lydia wasn't paying them any mind before explaining.

"You see, there's this other guy and-"

"She's a slut?"

"No!" Gage snapped, punching Jake in the arm. "No, he's her best friend and… well…"

"Well?"

"Just a little bit ago he kind of…admitted he planned on stealing her."

"Whoa, that guy's got some balls! You can take him right?"

"Yes and no…it's complicated! He's just really…off."

"Off?"

"Yeah, like, dangerous I guess. You'd have to meet him."

"I kinda don't want to," Jake said with a sympathetic laugh. "You doubt yer girl?"

Gage was silent.

"I didn't before, but ever since I met him it's like I've become permanently jealous…shit! That's just what he told me would happen!"

Gage ran a hand down his face, frustrated beyond belief. Jake watched helplessly, never having seen his cousin like this before.

"You really like this girl don't you?"

"Yeah…"

Jake paused.

"Do you love her?"

Gage glanced over at Lydia. He watched as she bounced on the balls of her feet in excitement, her laugh ringing out and being carried with the wind to his ears. His eyes softened at her happiness, and an even more tender look came over him as she turned to him, her smile melting any doubts he had at the moment.

"Do I love her?" he whispered to himself. "…probably."

XxXxXxXxX

Lydia giggled as she and Gage walked up her driveway. Gage gave her hand a squeeze, smiling as he swung the link back and forth obnoxiously.

"I had an amazing time," Lydia said when they reached her porch.

Gage grinned, reaching up to stroke her cheek.

"Me too."

Then he pulled her into a slow kiss. Lydia was a little surprised by his softness but quickly returned it. His tongue prodded her bottom lip, and Lydia happily allowed him entrance. As their tongues danced, Gage backed her up against the front door with an audible 'thump'. Things began to heat up, their bodies grinding together and melding with familiar haste.

"Wait," Gage breathed, pulling away and catching his breath. Lydia gazed up in a dazed confusion. "Wait."

"What is it?"

Gage smiled, assuring her it wasn't anything bad. She let go as he stepped back, taking her hands in his once they were far enough apart.

"Lydia I…I want to…I want to start over."

"Start…over?"

"Yeah. Like, erase everything we've done up to this point."

Lydia still didn't get it.

"Okay, um, you know how we're really sexual? And, and how just now we were suggesting more than kissing? Well, I don't want to do that anymore. N-not that I didn't like it! God it felt good…b-but, I just want to have a fresh start! We're openly together now, in front of everybody, including you're best friend. So I just…"

He was stopped by Lydia's body suddenly enveloping his own in a hug. He looked down, surprised, and she in return with happiness. Lydia grinned at his flushed cheeks, knowing it was taking a lot of guts for him to admit how much of a softie he was. It meant a lot to her that he wasn't going to try and rush things now that they were an official couple. Gage was just…amazing.

"Thank you," she whispered, leaning up to softly tease her lips with his. He smiled, brushing back but not fully kissing. This was how a first-date-kiss should be. Just a taste, leaving both parties wanting more. He hadn't had this in a _long_ time. This innocence. And it was enough to make him forget the threat of losing it standing just on the other side of the door…

XxXxXxXxX

Lydia came into the house quietly, slowly, almost unable to comprehend how happy she was. But once she shut the door and leaned her back to it, the euphoria finally kicked in, and she closed her eyes blissfully, a breathy smile coming to her face.

"Have fun?"

Lydia jumped, forgetting that Beetlejuice was still there. Her cloud-nine moment didn't falter however, and she excitedly began telling him about her date.

Not that he didn't know already.

He'd followed them of course.

And he was realizing that the kid was becoming more and more of a threat.

He listened, gagging at the mushy-gushy moments and laughing at a few mishaps Gage had had. Like trying to get out of the balloon once it landed, foot getting caught in some rope, and falling flat on his face in some mud. Hmm…he wondered _who_ could have _that_? Surely not a ghost like himself.

"So…what happened out there?" he asked, indicating their time on the porch. He really didn't know because he'd headed back to the house before they did.

Lydia blushed prettily, ducking her head and looking so deliciously cute.

"He said he wanted to, um, start over?"

"Huh?" he deadpanned.

"You know how I told you we've, well, _done_ things."

He nodded.

"Well Gage said now that we're finally a couple, he wanted a fresh start. So we're gonna take it slow."

Beetlejuice's eyebrows flew into his hair line. Well that was brave. Did this kid really think he could win Lydia over without a lot of sexual contact? In his new light, Beetlejuice was able to see Lydia for what she truly was, a bundle of raging hormones. Now that Gage wasn't going to touch her, it wouldn't be long for Lydia to start getting antsy and-

…wait a minute…

Beetlejuice grinned at the thought, plans and scenarios playing out through his head as he exploited the possibilities of this new opportunity. Lydia was going to get _very_ sexual frustrated, and _very_ sensitive. Without Gage being there to help her out, she might become desperate enough to-

"Hey, I think that's my parents," she said distractedly, retreating from the couch and heading towards the door.

Beetlejuice followed and they were both soon out on the porch, watching as their car pulled up.

"Lydia! Go inside!" shouted her father. He offered no explanation, so with a shrug, they headed back inside. It was a few minutes before her father entered, and Lydia came up to him, worried.

"Dad?" she questioned, and he gave her a nervous smile. "Where's Delia?"

"Here sweetie!" came her stepmother's sing-songy voice from outside. "We have a surprise for you!"

Lydia didn't move, not even when Beetlejuice came up beside her. Delia came in through the front door and Charles shut it for her, and Lydia saw that her hands were preoccupied. It looked as if she were carrying a bundle of blankets, and Lydia stepped closer in curiosity.

"What's that?"

Her parents exchanged looks, but it was Charles who spoke.

"We want you to meet…" he trailed off, folding the top of the bundle to reveal…

"Maxwell Deetz," finished Delia. "You're new little brother."

**A/N: GAAAHHH! CLIFFHANGER! Is this a random plot twist? It may seem like it, but it really isn't. Man, there was a lot of drama in this chapter, and I made Beetlejuice a little darker than I wanted, but whatever. I hope they haven't gotten too much out of character**

**Oh, and here's something bad. I'm starting to kind of like my OC Gage. I had meant to just put him there as a conflict in the whole BJ/L relationship, but now I'm really digging into his character and feelings. God help me!**


	9. Things are Heating Up

Lydia stared down the tiny face rocking in her arms, enormous grey eyes looked curiously back. She smiled, flashing her teeth in a gentle way, and the small boy's forehead creased. For awhile, he almost looked angry, then his face relaxed, and he gave a toothless smile of his own. A giggle erupted from him, and Lydia's heart fluttered happily at the sound.

It was Monday, a few days after her date with Gage, and the first time Lydia was allowed some actual quality time with her new little brother Maxwell. And boy did she enjoy it. That Saturday, after the new addition to the family arrived, her parents had expected her to completely flip out. She had every right to. They had completely hid the fact of adoption, and didn't even bother to ask what she felt about it. But to their immense relief, Lydia was all too overjoyed. She squealed, and laughed, and hugged Beetlejuice so tightly he complained of a broken rib. However, just because _she_ was excited didn't mean Maxwell was. The poor boy was so exhausted from the trip, all the rest of the weekend he did almost nothing but sleep.

Now, however, it seemed he did everything _but_.

"Hey Babes!" Beetlejuice shouted, morphing into a cat and circling her on her bed. "What's a guy gotta do ta get a little pussy?"

"Beej!" Lydia exclaimed in embarrassment. "Don't say that around him!"

Beetlejuice snickered, crawling closer to peak into the bundle she held.

"Right, mind like a sponge," he cackled, only to yelp as Maxwell's hand shot out and yanked his whiskers.

Lydia laughed, letting him squeeze her finger so he wouldn't bother Beetlejuice.

"Geez kid!" he grumbled, rubbing a paw over his furry cheeks. "How old is he again?"

"Almost two."

"What? Seriously?"

Indeed, it was a little hard to believe. The child was small, abnormally so, and it had worried the original parents. The doctor's had assured them nothing was wrong, and that all his systems were functioning normally with no signs of disease, but the pricks wouldn't listen. They wanted nothing to do with him, and so led to the opening of the Deetz's arms.

"Maaaaax," Lydia sing-songed, causing her to gain his undivided attention. "I'm gonna set you on the floor, okay?"

He did not answer, only stared blankly. Scooting off the bed Lydia gently unwrapped his small form from the blankets. Carefully she sat him on his back where he laid still, glancing between his sister and Beej's cat form. His brow creased again, taking on an absolutely venomous look before giggling profusely. Beetlejuice cackled, licking his lips and stalking towards the boy.

"Say Maxy boy. Whatch'ya doin there?"

Max turned his head to follow the cat's movements, opening his mouth and gurgling as he attempted to tilt his head back. Beetlejuice's paw lightly tapped his forehead, and Max squealed in delight, arms coming up to touch it and legs beginning to kick furiously. Lydia laughed as their banter continued, but gasped when Max did something unexpected. The child suddenly rolled onto his stomach, got to his wobbly feet, and began sprinting. Beetlejuice, completely taken by surprise, jumped away and began to skitter across the room. Though not nearly as fast, Maxwell tried his hardest to keep up, and almost tripped over a stray shirt had Lydia not scooped him up.

"What the hell?" Beetlejuice cried, changing back into his original form.

"I don't know!" Lydia panicked, equally freaked out and confused.

"Lydia?" came her father's voice, and Beetlejuice immediately hid.

Charles came into her room, looking around in alarm until he was sure nothing was amiss.

"What is it pumpkin?" he asked gently, walking towards her and taking Maxwell.

"Max! He was walking! No- running!" Lydia explained in a rush.

Charles only sighed, chuckling and placing a kiss on his son's cheek.

"Lydia, he may be small, but he still has the abilities of children his own age," he explained with some amusement, watching his daughter blush hotly at her ignorance. "We were informed he could walk, it's just talking he hasn't quite got a hold of."

Lydia smiled in relief, going over and patting his amber hair.

"You little squirt, I almost had a heart attack!"

Maxwell giggled, hand reaching for hers and giving it a firm squeeze. Lydia smiled, as did Charles, and unknown to both, so did Beetlejuice.

XxXxXxXxX

"I'll let you borrow my dildo."

"NO!"

"Come on, I never used it!"

"Eew, just drop it!"

Lydia sat firmly down in her spot on the bleachers, pointedly ignoring all of her friends' pitying stares. They knew what Gage had asked of Lydia, the whole non-sexual-relationship-thing, and they all understand the frustration she was going through. Even Hannah, being the prude she was, knew how awful it was to be denied carnal pleasures. Ashley, who sat next to her, draped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her close.

"Look, you've been cranky because of being deprived, we all see it. We're just trying to help you out." Ashley tried to make her words assuring, but it was a little difficult due to having to shout over all the other voices of the student body residing in the gym.

Lydia softened at her friend's words, relaxing into the hug.

"Yeah I know…" she muttered.

"So we shouldn't be spending all this time worrying about you moping! We should be spending more time having fun!"

Lydia slowly lifted her head at Ashley's forced tone. Her eyes held questions, but it seemed only Hannah was able to answer.

"You mean you…forgot, Lydia?"

She nodded her head once, tears springing to her eyes as she remembered.

"This is our last week…until you two graduate…"

A sob came barreling from her throat, and Lydia coughed as she failed to choke it down. The twins swallowed, eyes glistening as well at the idea of Ashley and Hannah leaving. It was two weeks into June, yet the school had not closed at the beginning of summer. Because of an abnormally snowy winter, the school had gone over it's snow days and were forced to extend into summer break. The girls had all been ecstatic, but of course, graduation could not be held off forever.

"Don't worry, we're both going to be at the university! It's only an hour and a half away!" Ashley chirped, and the girls all lightened. All except Lydia who, including her sexual frustrations, was an emotional wreck. She cried, and the only one's to hear her were her comforting friends. Nobody paid attention as the pep rally raged around them.

XxXxXxXxX

Gage hugged Lydia close, his nose seeking solace in the depths of her hair. They'd just gotten back from the movies, and it was already very late. Lydia knew she shouldn't be lingering in her driveway knowing her father was pacing anxiously in the living room, but being close to Gage was just something she needed right now. She held him closer, and Gage sighed into her neck before straightening up. They didn't speak, but neither had to. He gently stroked her cheek with a calloused thumb, and Lydia sighed at how masculine his hand alone was from only a few years of hard labor. He was a working man, able to fix cars, build houses, and do just about anything considered 'man work'. This caused him to have a rather rough appearance and feel, and it wasn't really Lydia's type (hell, she really didn't even know her type!), but spending time with him made her forget all that.

He kissed her, slowly and full of need. She responded, but held back her passion. Gage wanted to take it slow (which was odd, considering that was normally the **girl's** need) and Lydia respected that.

Though, that didn't necessarily mean she was _thrilled_ about it.

She was surprised, however, when Gage's grip on her shoulder's tightened a good amount. She opened her eyes and found his face scrunched in frustration. She wanted to lean back, ask him what was wrong, but he gave her no time. She was suddenly crushed to him, and her arms went instinctively around his neck. His kiss turned feverish, and Lydia could only follow his lead. One hand left her shoulder and grasped her ass, kneading one cheek before moving to the other. Lydia gasped, breathing suddenly erratic as his opposite hand gave the same treatment to her breasts. In her mind she silently cheered, happy he'd broken down.

Then just as suddenly his body was gone, and instead he bent forward while holding her shoulders at arms length. His breathing was heavy and uneven, mimicking her own. It was a while before either were able to speak.

"I'm guessing the slow phase is over?" Lydia mocked, yet her voice was hopeful.

Gage only chuckled, his crystal blue eyes meeting her chocolaty ones.

"No, I just…lost control."

Lydia laughed, hiding her disappointment well as he walked her to the door.

Aching.

Needy.

And Desperate.

XxXxXxXxX

It wasn't long until Lydia finally succumbed to her desires. It was already 11:00 pm, Beetlejuice had not come to hang out, and her arousal had not diminished in the slightest. So finally, sitting in her bed and blushing furiously, Lydia did the only logical to do in her situation.

Nervous hands slithered underneath the covers, sliding slowly, uncertainly, down her torso until they reached the band of her underwear. Hesitantly, having never done this before, Lydia pulled the fabric down to her ankles. She dared not to look under the covers, feeling slightly ashamed and enormously embarrassed of what she was about to do. The first touch had her jerking, having immediately touched her pearl of nerves Gage had always paid **so** much attention to. Swallowing, she did it again, the light touch causing trembles to wrack her spine. She was so sensitive, and a brief nudge against her folds revealed just how ready she was to be fucked senseless. It took awhile, but Lydia adjusted enough to not cry out every time she rubbed her secret place. She started a rhythm, and soon she was panting freely. Her lower body was heated to the point of sweat, and Lydia had no second thoughts as she kicked off the covers. Now she was completely exposed, legs spread wide and bent at the knees in the air. The moment the cool air hit her however, it was her undoing, and she came as quietly as she could, Gage's name fleeing her lips, broken by haggard breaths.

She shivered, the post-orgasm spasms wracking her body violently. She tried to tell herself she was satisfied, that once was enough, but her body had other plans. She began again, this time having her other hand join in. She grasped her right breast tentatively, breath hitching as her nipple immediately peaked. It must have been the rush, the heat of the moment or something like that, but for some reason, her ministrations felt…amazing. Better than what Gage made her feel. Briefly she remembered Ashley saying something about a woman knowing her own body best, and Lydia figured it to be true. As her hand traveled the expanse of her body, Lydia knew instinctively all her pleasure spots. She shivered as her hand brushed against her jaw line, roughly grasped at her inner thigh, nearly screamed when-

"Lyds?"

Lydia stopped, head snapping to the source of the voice. Beetlejuice stood in the middle of her room, and she could tell, even through the dark, his eyes were ready to pop from their sockets. Letting loose a silent shriek, Lydia gathered the blankets around her, rolling into a taco so that he could see absolutely no part of her body. She was sure her entire being could rival a tomato, and tears of embarrassment began choking her. Beetlejuice remained quiet, but his footsteps were soon heard approaching the bed. Lydia froze as she felt the bed shift under his weight, yet he did nothing but lay a hand on her shoulder.

"Lyds, come out," he spoke softly, and Lydia shook her head fiercely.

He chuckled, not pushing her.

"Well guess we're even."

Lydia's brow furrowed, wondering what the hell he was talking about.

"You saw mine, now I saw yours."

She blushed hotly at that, trying to remove the images that suddenly invaded her mind.

"Don't worry babes, it's okay. I've seen a million of'em."

This, for some reason, compelled Lydia to peak out from her taco cocoon and glare heatedly at him. Beetlejuice grinned, patting her head and ruffling her hair.

"There we go! There's that fire!"

Lydia couldn't help her smile, and she sat up, the blanket falling off her pajama clad torso. She was about to say something when her attention was diverted decidedly southward, and Beetlejuice started at her object of attention.

"Oh fu-, shit, sorry 'bout this," he cursed, using a bit of excess blanket to hide the obvious erection encased in his striped pants.

Lydia swallowed, watching his flustered movements with a fascination that scared even herself. His face was turning a unique shade of purple, and she could practically see his mind trying to will the offending object down. Yet…Lydia didn't know whether it was from a sudden burst of boldness or blind curiosity, but when she spoke, the words left them both speechless.

"Did I do that?"

Beetlejuice stilled, head snapping to face hers in shock. Her eyes stared back with determination, looking as if she didn't regret the question at all. Which she didn't. She was able to admit to herself something was definitely up with Beetlejuice, and it most _definitely_ involved _her_. And it was high time she found out what was going on, especially if it was going to effect their friendship. Something had been bubbling in the back of her mind recently, that whatever Beetlejuice's problem was it wasn't something innocent. Looking back briefly, she realized just how much she'd denied the possibility that his situation had involved carnal pleasures. That bubbling had evolved from just a whisper after her revelation of Beetlejuice being a man during the sleepover. She still wasn't sure of all the feelings she was experiencing, but one thing she knew for certain.

Beetlejuice was troubled, and it seemed over something only _she_ could help him with.

She was finished with denial.

Beetlejuice studied her, looking as if he wanted to do nothing more than juice himself out of there. But Lydia stood her ground, shifting to get a better position to stare him down. It took awhile, but he finally sighed, one hand coming up to rub the back of his neck sheepishly.

"If I said yes…would you be mad?" he asked, flinching slightly as if preparing to get smacked.

But Lydia didn't move at all. Instead, she let a breath, seemingly releasing all her pent up emotions. Her gaze slid away from him, and her faced glowed hotly. She had a strange urge to smile, but she fought it down hard, opting instead to talk to the wall.

"I'm not mad…" she trailed quietly. Then she looked at him. "But why?"

Beetlejuice gave her a confused look, turning his body fully to face her.

"Why? Why do I gotta boner from watch'n you finger fuck yerself?"

His tone made the question rhetorical, and it made Lydia feel ignorant, and young. It made her realize just how much she didn't know about the opposite sex, and her experience with Gage was the only thing she had to go on. She was startled when Beetlejuice started laughing, and in his twisted merriment he began floating towards the ceiling, the blanket once covering his obvious arousal slipping off.

"Seriously Lyds!" he cackled, holding his stomach. "You're so naïve!"

Lydia made a sound of indignation, and she huffed while crossing her arms. Beetlejuice grinned, coming down just enough to be face to face.

"Babes, I'm a **guy**! It doesn't matter who it is, if a woman's sexy, I get turned on!"

Lydia's eyes widened, jaw going slack with disbelief.

"You think I'm…sexy?"

"Uh, yeah! Isn't it obvious?"

Lydia shifted, his words sending a strange sense of electricity through her that went straight to her nether regions. Her face held a look of open horror at her body's response, and Beetlejuice misunderstood her inner thoughts for being disgusted at his declaration.

"Whoa, Babes I-! Uh, sorry if that makes you…uncomfortable."

His dejected tone broke Lydia's heart, and she quickly reached for his hand.

"No, I…that's not it…" she stammered, blushing furiously at the contact of their skin. She was still so sensitive, and the effect he was having on her confused the shit out of her! "Beej I-…I'm not uncomfortable. I just…didn't know you were attracted to me…"

Beetlejuice's face lit up for a moment before falling again, his other hand reaching to cup hers as well.

"Lyds, listen. I'm yer best friend, we've been through just about everything together. Don't get it in yer head that I'm gonna try and jump yer bone's every chance I get. I don't want ya worried over someth'n like that. Yeah, yer hot, I'll admit it, but don't think I'm gonna treat ya like all the other ghouls I fuck."

Lydia nodded along, her lips suddenly gone dry and she tried desperately to moisten them. But once her tongue darted out, Beetlejuice's eyes locked onto the movement, and her breath hitched at the look dwelling within them.

It was out in the open now.

Beetlejuice was attracted to her…

"Thank you," she whispered. "For being honest."

He made a face, gagging at the idea of doing something 'good'. His over reaction dissolved Lydia into giggles. Maybe it was the atmosphere, or the lightness she felt of the situation that compelled her to do what she did next. But whatever it was, it opened up a new door of affection between them. Without thinking she leaned in, delivering a slow, tender kiss to his cheek. When she pulled back, Beetlejuice's eyebrows had disappeared into his hairline. He smiled however, and Lydia ducked her head to hide her own.

"Now, is that gonna be a regular occurrence?"

He chuckled, and Lydia blushed, embarrassed as her thoughts answered his question almost immediately afterward.

_Yes._

XxXxXxXxX

_You've really outdone yerself __**this**__ time Beejy boy!_ Beetlejuice thought as he watched Lydia skip around Babble Beach in her new spider web bikini. He grinned to himself from his place on their beach blanket, waving like a child when she looked his way. She waved back with a smile, and his eyes followed the light jiggle of her breasts.

But he wasn't the only one enjoying the view.

"Lydia!" came a clear tenor voice, and Beetlejuice snarled at it's owner.

What the fuck was **he** doing here?

"Vince!" she exclaimed, seemingly forgetting her state of dress as she ran out of the water to give him a hug.

Beetlejuice glowered as he studied the boy. He'd grown over the past couple years, no longer the awkward kid who once thought there was nothing worth being happy about. And he would continue to grow until he wished the aging process to stop. That was one of the few perks of being born dead. Spirits born from spirits could grow until they felt right in their bodies, but once they stop they're stuck for all eternity or until they're eaten by a sandworm. Beetlejuice was considering the latter.

Prince Vince looked shocked for a moment, his tongue tying as his hands settle on the bareness of her back. Lydia smiled, innocent and blind to his flustered reaction. He finally just smiled, stepping back to kiss her hand hello. Lydia giggled, saying something that caused him to brush the bangs out of his eyes. They chatted for awhile before Lydia waved a hand to their beach blanket. Vince nodded shyly, grinning from ear to ear as she grabbed his hand.

"Beej, make room for Vince," she said, sitting in front of Beetlejuice with her back facing him.

"Sure thing Babes," he replied none too politely, suddenly getting an idea when the prince sat facing Lydia. "Hey, yer get'n a little burnt on yer back."

"Can you get that for me?" she asked, indicating the sun tan lotion. "I can't reach."

"Got it."

Beetlejuice squirted some lotion on his hands, rubbed them together, and then began massaging Lydia's shoulders.

"So how've you been?" Lydia asked, wanting to catch up after not seeing him for almost half a year.

"It has been a bit of a bore, to be honest. I missed spending time with you, but my parents have been pestering me with becoming king for some time."

Lydia looked sympathetic, but Vince wasn't looking at her anymore. His eyes were locked in a match with Beetlejuice, and he felt a bit confused and uneasy with the strangeness they held. His gaze fell down to Lydia's arms where Beetlejuice was rubbing in the lotion. The motions were languid, sensual, and possessive. Vince become nervous, thoughts coming to his mind he'd rather not think about. Something had changed between the two…

"Hey! An eye-scream man!" Lydia exclaimed suddenly, pointing to a headless man that was carting a portable stand a few yards away. Beetlejuice let go as she darted off, a few Neitherworld bucks in her hand and firm ass cheeks jiggling enticingly. As soon as she was out of earshot, Vincent seethed.

"What's going on?" he spat, bewildered and slightly hurt.

"Whad'ya mean brat?" Beetlejuice snarled.

"Why were you touching Miss Lydia in such an inappropriate manner?"

Beetlejuice smirked, turning fully to face him. The two stared for a moment, Vince getting more and more angry at the mocking air Beetlejuice held.

"Let's jus say Lydia and I have…taken a step up in our friendship."

Vincent let out a breath, wheezing as if somebody had just punched him.

"You t-two…are together?"

Beetlejuice scoffed.

"No," but he sounded disappointed, and Vince picked up on that.

"You…want…to be with her? But…she doesn't want to be with…you…"

The slow way he said it made Beetlejuice's juice boil. He was about to give the brat a piece of his mind when Lydia came back with three eye-scream cones.

"Hey guys, here," she said, handing them each their own flavor before sitting back down.

Vince wasted no time on his treat.

"Lydia, if I may be so bold, are you in a relationship with anyone at this moment?"

Lydia flushed at the question, her cheeks turning a charming pink as she smiled.

"Yes, I have a boy friend. His name is Gage."

Vince's gaze slid over her shoulder at Beetlejuice, a small smiling playing at the corner of his lips.

"…Oh I see."

XxXxXxXxX

Gage shifted uneasily in his spot next to Lydia, jumping at the loud clatter the fork against his dinner plate made upon contact. They were all seated at the dining room table late that Wednesday afternoon, all the Deetz's, and Gage starting to regret wanting to come over to dinner with her family. Lydia had come to him earlier that day during lunch at school, begrudgingly telling him that her mother had invited him for dinner. At first he'd been ecstatic, grinning at the thought of winning over Charles Deetz's approval and getting one step closer to Lydia. He'd been nervous and giddy all at the same time when he parked in their driveway. And his stomach had fluttered happily at the image of Lydia's beautiful face inviting him in. At the door, after ringing the bell, Gage grinned when he heard footsteps.

Then it all went to hell.

The last person on earth he wanted to be around opened the door instead of Lydia.

It was the best friend.

Later he found out Delia had invited **him** too. It seemed it was a last minute arrangement. Lydia said she was sorry, but her mischievous smile signaled otherwise. To him it looked like she **enjoyed** the way he stood by or held her possessively whenever Beej came around. Her mother thought he was just smitten and cooed her envy, but Charles saw it a different way. When they finally sat down to dinner, Charles made sure to be at one end of the table and he at the other, glaring heatedly while stuffing mashed potatoes in his mouth. Gage swallowed some meatloaf, trying to ignore him.

But the fatherly threat of chopping off Gage's balls was not what was making him anxious.

"And you remember when Ginger missed and that mud hit **you** in the face?" Beetlejuice cackled.

"That wasn't funny! It took me all **day** to get the smell off!" Lydia huffed, but she was smiling at the memory.

They continued to laugh, heads bumping each other tenderly as they leaned closer and shared the moment. They'd been like that all throughout dinner. All buddy-buddy and sugary sweet with nostalgia. It made Gage want to puke. Or throw Beej out the kitchen window, into the yard, and then proceed to pound his face into a bloody pulp. He still wasn't sure which one would make him feel better the fastest.

"Oh Mr. Beetleman it's been too long!" Delia cooed, her voice oozing sugary delight. "And my have you cleaned up!"

Beej grinned, flashing pearly whites in the most charming way.

"Yes mam it has been awhile."

"Two years?"

"Around that, but me and Lyds kept in touch."

His arm went around Lydia's shoulders, and Gage thought the pulsing blood vessel in his forehead would burst.

"Well how come you never paid us a visit I sure would like for you to be around more often," questioned Charles, and Gage felt a little jealous at the kindness in the older man's voice. Beej was on good terms with her father? Fuck!

"So what about you Gage?" Delia asked, her attention suddenly on him. "How did you meet Lydia?"

Gage's ears turned red at the question, the memory of his and Lydia's first encounter something he did not wish to share. A glance at Lydia showed her embarrassment as well, but it seemed she was willing to answer for him.

"We, uh, met at the baseball field at the all boy's high school."

"Oh, you play base ball?" asked a pleasantly surprised Charles, pleasantly enough to stop glaring daggers at the boy.

"Yes, actually," Gage said with a more confident smile. "I'm mostly the pitcher, but the coach often puts me in any position he feels is right at the moment."

Beej suddenly snorted, trying to hide his grin behind his coke glass.

"I'm sure the coach _loves_ switching positions with you," he mumbled, only loud enough for Gage and Lydia to hear. Lydia blushed hotly and elbowed him swiftly in the stomach. Beej grunted, but it came out as a chuckle.

"So you play any other sports?" Charles asked, oblivious to the perverted comment.

"Um, yes," Gage said while clearing his throat, trying not to lose his composure.

"Basketball?" Beej suddenly cut in. Gage leveled him with a look, clearly suspicious.

"…Yes"

"Football?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Tennis?"

"Erm, no."

"What? You think tennis is a game for wussies?"

"Wait what-"

"You think tennis is for wussies?" Charles seethed.

Gage stuttered, unsure what to say or how he'd suddenly ended up on Charles's bad side again. It had all happened so fast! When he locked eyes with Beej, the blond smirked, and Gage immediately knew this was what he'd planned.

"No! I don't think tennis is a wussy game!" Gage finally sputtered, desperate to diverge from the subject.

"Oh, so now it's just a game? You don't even consider it a sport?" Charles continued, not exactly sure why he was even making a big deal out of this but just wanting to get mad at the boy.

Lydia, unable to speak due to shock, sat bewildered in her chair. What was wrong with her father? He didn't even **like** to play tennis! She looked over at Beetlejuice for help but he was watching the fight, a satisfied smirk settled on his face. Then she noticed something. His arm was moving…Lydia bit her lip, slowly bending her head down to look under the table. What she found made her angry. Beetlejuice's fingers were wiggling, a faded light shining in the direction of her dad. He was manipulating her father!

"Beej-!"

"Oh my! Do you hear that?" Delia suddenly exclaimed, and everyone went quiet.

There was a soft cry, and the only person it could belong to was Max.

"I'll take care of him," Lydia declared, and Gage excused himself to follow her. Beej stayed.

"Hey Maxy," Lydia cooed sweetly, picking up the fussy boy as he whimpered. She held him in her arms gently, rocking him slightly until he settled. She kissed his forehead, brushing her nose in his amber locks and sighing at his baby scent. Gage watched from afar, admiring how Lydia was able to calm the child. She looked so beautiful with a baby in her arms…

"Gage?"

"Yes?"

"You wanna hold him?"

Gage stiffened, his throat going dry though he desperately tried to swallow.

"Uh…" was all he managed, hands curling into fists as he eyed the small child. "…sure."

Lydia blinked at his odd reaction, slowly lifting Maxwell to Gage. Stiffly, he took her brother into his arms, keeping the child a notable distance from himself. Lydia watched Gage's tense form, taking in how it seemed he wanted to touch Max as little as possible. Max gurgled once, and Gage jumped, his mouth turning into a thin line as he looked anywhere but at the babe.

"Gage…what's the matter?"

Gage licked his dry lips, motioning for Lydia to take her brother back. When she did he heaved a sigh of relief, shaking out his arms like he'd just been rid of an enormous burden and was trying to get off any excess of it.

"Babe, I just…well I-…I just don't…like…kids…"

Lydia stared at him for awhile, a look of complete bafflement on her face. Her brow knitted together as she shook her head, placing Maxwell back in his crib before turning to Gage.

"Well…I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable," she said slowly, her voice devoid of any genuine apology. Gage caught on, but one look in her eyes told him she hadn't meant for it to come out like that. She was uncertain, not completely sure how to feel about his phobia. Pedophobia to be exact. The fear of children. Though it wasn't extreme, he had just never been comfortable with children. They'd always made his skin crawl, what with the diapers, and the crying, and vomit. He'd never planned on having any, and it had never even crossed his mind of having kids with Lydia. Though…now that he thought about it, it didn't sound too bad of an idea. So long as **he** didn't have to deal with them…

"Hey, maybe I should go," he said. "It's pretty late."

Lydia's eyes widened in surprise, but she nodded anyway. Back downstairs Gage was met by the sounds of laughter. Great. That Beej fucker again. Gage said his goodbyes but Delia only gave him a split second of her time to wave, and Charles was too enthralled in the conversation to even glance up. Lydia walked him out onto the porch. She'd softened up by then, taking his hand and bringing it to her cheek.

"You're not mad?" he asked, nervous beyond belief.

"No, no, it's just…well, I hadn't expected that."

"Lydia-" he began, leaning in for a kiss to show just how sorry he was.

"LYDIA!" came the gravelly call of her best friend.

Lydia gave Gage a smiled apologetically, but did nothing else, only turned to go back in the house. No kiss. No hug. Just a "See you tomorrow". When the door closed, Gage felt a cold dread fill his fingertips, his hands grew clammy, and his body felt fragile. He was loosing her…he was loosing her to that…

"FUCK!" he screamed when he'd reached his motorcycle, kicking it to the ground to try and satisfy his anger. The dent he created did no such thing.

"FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK!"

Gage pulled at his hair with both hands, his breathing heavy and shallow. The chilly night clashed violently with his heated skin, only making him dizzy. He was alone with his thoughts, and he couldn't control them.

_Fuck! I'm such a pussy! Why couldn't I have just held the damn kid! I pussed out…I ran…I'm such a coward!_

"If you would be so kind, I'd rather you stop shouting profanities outside a lady's humble abode."

Gage jumped at the smooth voice, whipping his head around in alarm.

"Who's there?" he whispered into the dark, doubting the person had heard him.

"Someone you can trust…you see, I know you and Miss Lydia are having a few…problems."

"She's probably going to break up with me…" Gage began, a depression washing over him. Then he remembered where he was, and how it wasn't wise to spill your guts to someone you couldn't even see. "Come out."

The person made no sound, but emerged from shadows of the night into the light of the moon. Gage stiffened at the figure of a boy, one that seemed not a day older than himself. The boy was tall, and thin. He had raven hair, the color of Lydia's, brushing just at his shoulders, the bangs hiding his eyes. But Gage was sure they were black as pitch. The boy wore strange attire, one of medieval royalty, or at least, that was what it looked like to the extent of Gage's knowledge. His cheekbones were high, and cheeks sunken, but his flesh was greenish. Surely a trick of the light.

"What do you want?" Gage asked, bringing himself up to full height.

The stranger was not intimidated.

"I have noticed your relationship with Miss Lydia. The one known as Beej is in the way…yes?"

"How do you know that?" Gage was panicking on the inside.

"I am an old friend of Lydia's. In fact, I used to fancy her just as you do now, but the idiot, you know who, came between us."

Gage licked his lips, knowing exactly which idiot he was talking about. But still, what did this person want?

"Who are you? What do you want?"

In the dark, it was hard to see, but Gage caught the smile that stretched along the young man's face. It was unsettling, unnatural even, like this person wasn't meant to smile. Or it was just a rare occurrence. Either way Gage was scared shitless.

"My name is Vincent, and I am here to help."

**A/N: OH MY JESUS HALLELUJAH! FINALLY! Phew, bet you thought I abandoned this story, huh? Well, I didn't. Just couldn't find the time to get back into the swing of things. Hope you enjoyed the cliffhanger, and don't worry, I'll get up another chapter soon. Peace out!**


	10. Sex, Orgasms, and Tears

"Come on Lydia, make up with him!" Tiffany pleaded, followed by frantic nods from the rest of the group.

"Yeah, you won't even tell us what he did!" whined Gabby, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.

Lydia huffed, rolling her eyes and laying her head on the table.

"He, **purposely** I might add, started a fight between Gage and my dad. Now my dad likes him even less than he already did before!"

Hannah smiled cheekily.

"Hmm, sounds like jealousy to me."

"I still think he's got the hots for you," Ashley said with a wink.

Lydia glanced up at her friends before shying away again. They stared expectantly, waiting. A light pink dusted her cheeks as she spoke.

"…he said he was attracted to me…"

All the girls did a double take, jaws dropping in silent shock.

"WHAAAAAT?"

"SSSSHHHHH!"

They all quieted, not wishing to call upon the wrath of the librarian.

"He **said** that? Like, to your face?" Ashley whispered in excited disbelief.

"…Yeah…."

"Oh my god why didn't you call us when it happened!" Tiffany exclaimed.

"Because he had a fuck'n boner at the time!" Lydia snapped angrily, but then paled soon after. She'd said too much. The girls all leaned in closer, cornering Lydia until she fessed up. Realizing there was no way she was going to get out of this Lydia looked away before retelling what happened. Of course, she left out the parts of Beetlejuice floating, and everything else relating to his deceased state. She didn't have to look up to see the shocked looks and giddy smiles.

"Wow Lydia…just…wow…" Hannah finally said, shaking her head and trying to fight off a smile.

"What she said," Ashley giggled.

"That's…the most romantic thing I ever heard," Tiffany sighed, earning a few odd looks.

"Masturbating aside," Gabby began. "You gotta go talk to him. We all really want him to come Friday."

Lydia chewed her bottom lip, thinking back to their plan of another sleepover. Her house was definitely going to be full. Everyone was going to bring their boyfriend, even her own. But the girls also wanted Beej to come as well, and Lydia, though not as mad but continuing to be stubborn, didn't want to cause trouble between him and Gage. Her friends didn't let up however, and Lydia finally gave in.

"All right already! I'll go talk to him…"

XxXxXxXxX

Lydia scanned the area around the Neitherworld entrance, fiddling nervously with the edge or her spider silk mini skirt. She'd intended to bring Beej to her room, on **her** turf to boost her confidence. But it seems the summons had other plans, and Lydia steeled herself as she began trudging to the roadhouse. She really didn't know what to say when she got there. What **should** she do? Force him to apologize? No, he already (albeit reluctantly) apologized, though he didn't seem sorry. He said he just wanted to mess with Gage, and what he did hadn't been such a big deal. Which, in truth, Lydia really didn't care about it anymore. It would be like all the other times. They fight, she ignores him, and then he uses his (gross yet lovable) charm to worm his way back into her good graces. Sometimes she wanted to kick herself for being so easily manipulated but…it was silly to fight if he apologized. Shaking her head she let a smile creep onto her face. Beetlejuice would always be Beetlejuice, and she would always be there to forgive him. What happened was did out of spite, and jealousy, Lydia understood that much. It was to be expected, her friends had reasoned, and only worth annoyance rather than full blow anger. It was pretty bad to be a girl and have her best friend be male. It almost always caused problems in the relationship area.

"Hello? Jacque? Ginger?" she called upon entering the home.

Silence.

Lydia clicked her tongue, shutting the door behind her before heading to Beetlejuice's room. She was about to call his name when a loud bang erupted from the hallway. Lydia jumped, startled at first but turned curious when the banging became consecutive.

"Beej?" she whispered to herself, slowing her pace to try and make out the other noises coming from his room. There was a definite shuffling, like fabric, and animalistic grunts male and female alike. Lydia was suddenly aware of what she was hearing, and the realization caused her heart to jump start. Her best friend was having **sex**! Her first instinct **should** have been to turn around and go home, but instead she found herself frozen. She had stopped a few feet away from the door, and after a few moments the initial shock wore off. Curiosity began to take over as wet slapping sounds drifted into the hallway, and Lydia steeled herself for what she was about to do next. Slowly, she moved closer to the door. Very vulgar words were heard clearer the nearer she got, and Lydia found that none of them made sense to her. What did he mean when he called her a "cock monger"? She was at the door now, noting it was left ajar, and using all the bravery she could muster slowly peaked in. She saw the bed directly across the threshold, and also the distinct profiles of it's occupants.

"Oh god!" screamed a beautiful woman with smooth orange skin and flowing blue-green hair.

Lydia's eyes widened at the woman, her breath taken by the position she was in. She laid on her side, arms gripping the sheets above her head. One leg was raised in the air and resting on Beetlejuice's shoulder as he ruthlessly pounded into her. Lydia's throat went dry at the sight of him. His body wasn't anything spectacular. He sported his normal gut, scrawny arms, and scrawny (as well as hairy) legs. Even his shoulders weren't that impressive, not very broad and certainly not as magnificent as Gage's. But the way he was taking the woman, the confidence, the sureness. He knew what he was doing, and it seemed every little movement threatened to give this woman a pre-mature orgasm. In this moment, he was purely masculine. A **man**. A fact being shoved in her face more often than not nowadays. She watched, hypnotized as he smoothly switched positions, flipping the woman over onto her knees without breaking his rhythm. He took her like a dog fucking his bitch, and Lydia was slightly scared by his ruthlessness. The woman didn't seem to mind though, only moaning louder and crying out in ecstasy.

"I'm coming! Fuck!" she screamed hoarsely, spasms wracking her body and making it impossible to hold herself up. Beetlejuice was quick to remedy the situation, twisting her onto her back and continuing his unending thrusts.

"I ain't done," he growled, slamming into her harder and angling himself to go deeper. The woman's eyes rolled back as she was forced to take the onslaught of pleasure, unable to escape his grip though she didn't even try.

"I *pant* can't-"

And then she spasmed again, but it was for the last time, for right after she orgasmed her body shut down and she passed out. Beetlejuice growled in frustration, pulling himself out and rolling to the side. He ran a hand through his hair, slammed his fist into the mattress, and then just sat there a moment. Lydia held her breath, torn between leaving or staying to see what he would do next. Beetlejuice looked down at his still hard member and sighed, leaning over and pulling something from his nightstand drawer. Lydia stared at the piece of paper in his hand and realized it was a photo, but she was unable to see anything but the blank back. She watched as he licked his lips and stared, his eyes clouding with a newfound lust and hand reaching for his aching erection. Lydia's breathing sped up as she watched him pump himself, a strange look of need she'd never seen before glinting in his eyes. He whimpered, something that surprised her, and his eyes screwed shut in what seemed like pain.

Then it happened again.

A heat built within Lydia's nether regions as she studied his pleasure filled face. She whimpered in fear at the feeling, having felt it only once before when he'd been the cause. It scared her. She shouldn't feel this way about him! This was Beetlejuice! But she continued to watch, unable to tear her eyes away and unable to squash the strong arousal she felt. Her cheeks burned with shame.

_But why?_ she questioned herself. _He's attracted to me…so is it really so bad?_

The thought hit her hard, and tears welled up at the emotional overload she was experiencing. But then her attention was diverted as Beetlejuice began moaning in a higher pitch than earlier, and Lydia realized he was about to release. His eyes were fixed on the photo, staring so hard she could have sworn it was about to burst into flames.

And then he came.

But not silently.

"LYDIA!" he growled through clenched teeth, keeling forward and moaning as he released his load all over the photo. He panted heavily afterwards, grimacing at the soiled photo before wiping it off and laying down to go to sleep.

Lydia was gone before his eyes even closed.

XxXxXxXxX

Beetlejuice popped into existence not even an hour after his little rendezvous with what's-her-face. He'd laid in his bed, once again unsatisfied. And it was Lydia's fault. He couldn't get off as easily now since he'd become attracted to her. Even worse, it was becoming more and more difficult to finish before his fuck of choice passed out from pleasure. Sure, he was proud of his abilities, but this was just getting ridiculous. So, after dressing and cleaning off his picture of Lydia once more, he'd found himself to be energetic, and a huge bundle of nerves. Deciding the only way to calm down was to see Lydia, that's exactly what he did. His entrance wasn't grand, but he wasn't subtle in the least.

"Heeeeeeeeey Babes!" he shouted, smiling open mouthed and poofing right behind where she sat at her desk. Lydia shrieked, startling so bad she fell right out of chair. Beetlejuice laughed, absolutely delighted at her wide eyes.

"Geez babes, I mean, I know women practically fall at my feet but I didn't figure you the type!"

He cackled some more, then noticed she wasn't laughing with him. He looked down to find her staring, her pulse racing and her cheeks a bright inferno.

"Babes?" he questioned, reaching for her.

She flinched.

Beetlejuice retracted immediately, floating down to sit right in front of her on the floor. He didn't want to intimidate her by looming over. He made a kicked puppy face, and it seemed to work as Lydia's face softened just a fraction. She still looked scared though.

"Lyds…" he began, then switched tactics. "Lydia, what's wrong?"

She swallowed, then cleared her throat. "Sorry," she said, her voice cracking. "You just scared me." She stood wobbling slightly and dusting off her jeans with shaky hands. A gurgle caught Beetlejuice's attention and he realized Max was in her room. The little boy sat calmly on the floor, stormy eyes staring Beetlejuice down. He panicked for a moment, asking Lydia if it was ok for the boy to see him just poof out of nowhere. Lydia nodded, explaining (quite curtly) that she planned to adjust Maxwell to the supernatural in hopes of him developing a taste for adventures in the Neitherworld. Beetlejuice fidgeted at her tone, floating over to sit next to her in front of Max. They stayed in silence for a moment, each playing with Max as he grabbed their fingers. Beetlejuice leaned back as the kid crawled into his lap, standing and grabbing his face with his tiny hands. Beetlejuice snorted when Max plugged his nose, growling playfully and laughing when the toddler tried to mimic him. Lydia smiled softly, watching Max explore Beetlejuice's face and hair. Beej then burped right in his face, causing Max to get a big whiff of rank breath and making him to grimace.

"Does someth'n smell in here?" he joked, turning his nose up and sniffing.

What he didn't expect was to actually smell something.

He didn't notice Max losing interest and going to Lydia, so shocked he was over the discovery. It was a smell he'd only smelt a couple times before. Something so sweet and intoxicating that it made his mouth water. His head whipped to Lydia, noting how tense and uncomfortable she'd been the whole time he'd been here. And now he knew why.

She was horny.

She was horny for **him**.

And now he had a boner.

"Fuck…" he muttered, shifting to try and hide his need.

Max turned to him, eyes narrowed and face scrunched. Then he relaxed, mouth opening in a giggle and face turning rosy with the intensity of his smile.

"Fuck!" he laughed, making Lydia gasp and Beetlejuice forget about his erection.

"Beetlejuice!" she exclaimed.

"Shit I didn't-"

"Shit fuck!" Max shouted with glee, holding onto Lydia for balance as he dance in place.

"BEETLEJUICE!" Lydia screamed angrily, but quieted quickly when he placed a hand over her mouth.

"One more time and I'm gone babes," he hissed, but not threatening. Her eyes narrowed in warning and he slowly retracted his hand. Maxwell continued to jump giddily, shouting 'fuck' and 'shit' and 'shit fuck'. Lydia shushed him, but the toddler would not listen, leaving her in favor of running around. Beetlejuice watched the kid, aware Lydia was glaring daggers at him. Then he had an idea.

"Fu-!" Max's speech was cut off suddenly and he jumped in place. Looking around his face scrunched in confusion. "Sh-" Again he jumped as if something had shocked him. He tired it a couple more times, then just stopped all together. His face returned to it's normal blank state as he began amusing himself with a stray dust bunny.

"Beej…what did you do?"

Beetlejuice avoided her eyes, unsure if she would thank him or slap him.

"I juiced yer brother," he explained sheepishly. "Every time he says a bad word he'll get shocked until he learns not to say'em."

Lydia stared at him for a long time, and Beetlejuice didn't have the guts to try and see what she was thinking.

"Like a shock collar for dogs?" she asked slowly.

He nodded, and Lydia sighed heavily.

"I can't say I approve of it…but…" Beetlejuice looked up, a hopeful gleam in his eyes. "As long as you turn it off at some point, I guess it's okay."

Beetlejuice beamed at her exhausted smile, relieved that she wasn't mad at him.

"Oh Babes! Come 'ere!" He tackled her in a hug, knocking them both to the ground in a pile. Lydia cried out in surprise, then grunted at his weight. He ignored her, rubbing his cheek against hers and squeezing tighter.

"Beej seriously," she said, failing to stop the smile she didn't want him to see. She wanted to be angry at him…but…

"Babes, when am I ever serious?"

This earned a laugh, and she returned his embrace. They remained on the floor in silence.

XxXxXxXxX

Lydia blinked away the crusty sand and squinted at the light shining over head. Gazing at the ceiling she realized she must have fallen asleep sometime after the incident with Maxwell. Her head twisted sideways to find Max safe in his play crib, the one used when he stayed in her room. But she didn't remember falling asleep, nor did she remember putting Max up. She tried to move, but found herself pinned to the floor by Beetlejuice's arm. Hmm, he must of fallen asleep too. His body lay motionless, an occasional twitch hinting at a dream. Otherwise he remained still. No breathing. No life. Lydia wasn't disturbed by it though. She always found watching him sleep quite fascinating. He had only snored to keep up appearances, especially when around Prudence and Bertha. But Lydia loved the times when he didn't need to pretend. She'd always enjoyed counting how many beetles would crawl across his face, only half the number surviving due to his tongue instinctively shooting out to catch them.

But now she was noticing different things.

Staring at his closed lids she noticed his eyelashes. They were long, and thick, more so than her own, and Lydia found herself thinking any girl would be jealous to have them. His cheeks were soft and smooth, the pores barely visible even up close. His chin was a little weak but his jaw was strong, and Lydia found herself gazing at it in a sort of trance. Her concentration was broken when he grumbled, mumbling incoherently before snuggling closer. Lydia froze as he buried his face in her neck, his nose brushing lightly against the shell of her ear. She tried to pull away but his hold only tightened.

"Lydia…" he growled, but remained asleep, and she knew he was dreaming about her. His hand snaked up her left side, caressing every curve he found and ending with a squeeze to her left breast. Lydia let out a muted cry, and heat began pooling in her stomach once more, a feeling that still horrified her when Beetlejuice was the cause. Said ghost snorted, and the hand having only squeezed was now **kneading **her breast. Lydia was **really** freaking now, pushing hard enough to wake him, trying to get away so she could get rid of her shameful arousal. Again, his hold only got tighter, and his mouth began trailing up and down her neck. Her breath hitched at the feeling, eyes drooping slightly as she, for a moment, gave into the light tingling pleasure. Her resolve to get away began crumbling when his light tease became light kisses, and even her shame began to be forgotten.

"Beej stop!" she gasped out, wriggling uselessly in his vice grip.

In response, he bit her earlobe.

"Beej…" she whispered huskily, her voice thick with desperation as she made one last effort to twist away. Unfortunately, she ground right into his erection and caused him to emit an animalistic growl.

"Mmm," he groaned into her ear, bucking a little against her right hip that pressed to his front. Lydia gasped, eyes shooting down to where the action had taken place. He wasted no time in doing it again, and Lydia found herself torn. Her body and mind fought each other, her mind saying to scream and her body saying to just enjoy this while she could. When Beetlejuice's hand made it's way in her shirt, it seemed her mind was fighting a losing battle. It soon crash, burned, and died when he touched her skin. Lydia whimpered at the electric shock she received from the contact and barely registered that it was his juice coursing through his hand that had created the sensation.

"Lydia," he moaned, sounding like he was on cloud nine as his thrusts became more urgent. Lydia cried out when she was suddenly flipped onto her side so that they were facing each other. Beetlejuice crushed her to his chest, positioning their lower halves so that his clothed groin was grinding right into hers. Lydia let out a broken groan, clutching the lapels of his shirt jacket and thrusting right back into him. She hadn't meant to. The action was pure reflex.

_I've gotta stop! _her thoughts screamed. _I've gotta…ah!_

Lydia moaned loud and long when the tip of his member roughly drove against her clit. She was crushed tighter to him, resulting in a much better angle. Lydia's head was spinning, she couldn't swallow, and her mind was completely gone. All she registered was that this was the best dry hump she ever participated in.

And she didn't even care that it wasn't Gage.

"Ah! B-Beetle-!"

Lydia's eyes rolled back and her vision temporarily went black. Her entire body felt like it was exploding as she climaxed, her mouth wide open and eyes squeezing painfully shut. She bucked wildly against Beetlejuice who in turn growled menacingly. He released his seed loudly, and Lydia shuddered against his slumped form, the wetness of his climax seeping onto her own clothes. He panted (though she didn't know why, he didn't need air) and snuggled close. Their foreheads bumped and Lydia took a moment to regain her senses. She was dazed for quite some time, the intensity of her orgasm something she had **never** felt before. To calm down she focused on the sound of their mixed breathing, and when she opened her eyes Lydia immediately found herself in another pickle.

His lips.

They weren't even an inch away.

And she wanted to kiss him.

Lydia closed her eyes again, desperately trying to banish the feeling. She wanted to kiss him. **Needed** to kiss him. And he was so close…would it matter if she did? He was asleep after all…he wouldn't remember…so she leaned forward and-

Stopped.

No, she couldn't do it.

It wasn't right.

Heaving a frustrated sigh Lydia carefully wriggled free from Beetlejuice's grip. Once up she stared at him, watched as his hands searched for her. Finding nothing he frowned, then proceeded to grumble and pout in his sleep. Then Lydia left the room, closing the door behind her and leaning against the hallway wall. She let out a breathy laugh, half exhausted and half sort of hysterical. The laugh grew more solid as her hysteria rose, and soon she was laughing so hard her stomach hurt.

Then she was crying, and her giggles turned to sobs.

"Fuck…" she whimpered to herself. "What did I just do?"

**A/N: Yeah this chapter is pretty short, but I just wanted to get SOMETHING out there for you guys to read. Commence romance! **


	11. How Gage and Lydia Met

**A/N: Hezzo! It's me again! Hope you're not mad about the really long wait! I decided to get Gage's and Lydia's history out of the way. Sorry in advance for sloppiness and laziness, I really wanted to get this done. A lot of drama in this one, so prepare for intensity!**

"I love myself! I want you to love me!" came Beetlejuice's rough voice as he sang.

"When I feel down, I want you above me!" Ashley joined in, throwing her hands up and laughing.

"I search myself! I want you to find me!" shouted Tiffany, launching herself at her sister.

"I forget myself, I want you to remind me!" Gabby giggled, accepting her twin's hug.

"I don't want anybody else," Hannah sang softly with an embarrassed grin, but the group cheered her on.

"When I think about you I touch myself!" Beetlejuice cackled and took off his shirt, running his hands suggestively over his bare chest.

Ashley whistled and the girls all cat called as he continued to dance in an over-the-top-sashaying-hips-manner. He made a pout and walked over to Lydia, snapping his fingers and humming like a stereotypical gay man. She couldn't help but laugh at his antics, pulling off her own shirt and dropping her shorts.

"Wait, we're take'n off bottoms too?" Beetlejuice asked, his face a mask of pure innocent surprise. His hands began snaking down to his trunks but didn't get very far before the girls all ran and pushed him. He lost his balance and fell backwards into the indoor public swimming pool, coming up moments later sputtering and cursing.

"You wish," Ashley declared, shedding her clothes until only her bathing suit remained.

"Yeah, I do," he teased with a smirk, his eyes darting briefly to Lydia. Nobody noticed but her. She pointedly ignored him.

As the girls all jumped in and began playing with each other and Beetlejuice, a group of boys stood to the side feeling forgotten.

"I feel sorry for you," Tom muttered to Gage, his dirty blonde hair flopping as he whipped his head. Tom looked at his own girlfriend, Gabby, and was relieved when she showed no sexual attraction to Beetlejuice.

"Dude, I'm feeling sorry for _myself_," proclaimed another boy from the group. He was half Egyptian, his skin naturally tanned and hair black as pitch, as well as his eyes. His nose was a bit large and dipped down at the tip, but overall the muscular boy was quite handsome. He gazed worriedly over at Hannah.

"Don't worry Akil," came a decidedly higher pitched voice near the front of the group. The owner was a sharp contrast to Akil, the boy being of average height and skin pale as snow. He wasn't toned at all, his lanky body seeming to reject any kind of muscle build, and his face was peppered with pimple scars. He also had a slight lisp when he spoke, and he squinted and scrunched his nose as he adjusted his goggles. "Hannah's a faithful girl."

"What about Tiff?" Tom teased. "Think she'll leave you Walter?"

Walter snorted in amusement, but it came out sounding as if he really had a cold.

"We're in love. She'd never cheat on me," he stated matter-of-factly, 100% confident in his relationship with Tiffany.

"Gage?" Akil questioned.

"What?"

The boys exchanged glances.

"We heard you've been having some…trouble with this guy."

Gage sneered and rolled his eyes.

"Just because her best friend wants to fuck her doesn't mean she feels the same way," he growled, but even to him his words sounded hollow.

"Lydia would never cheat," Tom began. "But that doesn't mean she'll never have feelings for anyone other than you."

His bluntness shocked Gage, but his surprised morphed into anger and he stormed off towards the girls. The group all sighed.

"I never thought they really clicked to be honest," Walter muttered.

"Same here," Akil agreed sadly.

"Well **I **use to think so," Tom huffed. "Until I met **this** guy." He gestured to Beetlejuice who had Lydia by the waist, heaving her into the deep end and laughing his ass off. Then he looked as if he remembered something, diving quickly to the spot where she landed. He came up with a gasping Lydia in his arms, and once composed she punched him. Beetlejuice gave a sheepish grin and hugged her, muttering apologies they couldn't hear and snuggling affectionately to quell her anger. Lydia began to return the affection, her features softening as she rubbed her head into his neck. Then her eyes shot wide and she jumped as if shocked, wriggling out of his grasp before swimming over to where Gage was. Beetlejuice looked stunned, Gage looked ready to murder.

The group of boyfriends all stared in shock at the exchange. Something was _definitely _up with those two.

"Hey, where's Tito?" Walter suddenly queried, breaking the silence.

Akil clicked his tongue in disgust. "Well he's not where he should be. Probably off with some other girl, the cheating bastard."

"Why is Ashley even with him?" Tom asked, careful not to raise his voice in case he be overheard. "I never see them go out, like, as a couple. They're always screwing."

"I don't know, but she's gonna dump him after she graduates," Akil said with a grin. "Come on, let's get in."

The boys all broke out in smiles and sprinted to the pool, ignoring the lifeguard that shouted warnings of slipping and breaking their necks. Akil jumped in with a skillful dive, Tom shouted his intentions of a cannonball, and Walter slipped at the very last moment, landing in a painful belly flop that left his stomach red for hours. His face flushed the same color in embarrassment.

"Ouch," Lydia commented with a cringe. They stood away from the group where the water almost reached Lydia's chin. Gage had folded her in an embrace from behind, perfectly content to just stay isolated and as far away from Beetlejuice as possible. His fingertips slowly brushed up and down Lydia's sides, causing her to wriggle and jump.

"Gage!" she laughed, ticklish and giddy. He smiled into her neck and held her closer, nudging his nose gently over the shell of her ear. Lydia sighed with delight, and Gage inwardly cheered as she completely relaxed against him, a dreamy look coming over her face. That Vincent guy had been telling the truth when he said he could help him. _Go slow,_ he had said. _Miss Lydia enjoys build up._ At first Gage had been angry that Vincent had known this, but the boy gave no indication of having been sexual with Lydia. His face had remained impassive the entire time, cold, and lifeless like a statue. He wondered what their relationship was. Were they friends? Or was he just her psycho stalker? Either way it didn't matter. As long as he was able to keep Lydia by his side, he would take all the advice he could get.

"Ah!" Lydia gasped when his hand brushed the inside of her thigh. "Don't…"

"Not in public?" he purred. Gage smirked and kissed her shoulder, keeping in mind to only tease so she would soon begin to crave his attention, then beg for it. Another tip from Vincent. The boy knew his stuff. Or really, Gage was just dumb in the department of womanly pleasures.

"Yo! Lyds!" Beetlejuice shouted.

Lydia jerked out of her lust induced daze and looked slightly alarmed for a moment. "Yeah?" she called back.

"Wanna play some chicken?" he cackled, then proceeded to crow like a rooster and flap his arms wildly. Lydia grinned at his antics and nodded. Gage was surprised when she suddenly left him, annoyed that she seemed to answer Beetlejuice's every beck and call without any regard to others around her. Okay, maybe he was exaggerating, but it still pissed him off. Glumly, Gage followed.

The teens all paired off in couples, leaving Ashley and Beetlejuice to team up by default. "I like a girl on top," Beetlejuice joked, and Ashley replied with "I don't think Lydia's the dominating type." He staggered a bit at that, his eyes going wide and shooting to Lydia. He panicked until he realized nobody had heard the comment. Breathing a sigh of relief Beetlejuice pouted at her.

"Low blow," he grumbled.

"You'll get over it," she giggled.

Rolling his eyes and smiling Beetlejuice stood back to watch the first match. Hannah and Akil were up against Lydia and Gage. The boys, both broad shouldered and well muscled, looked even more powerful with their dainty girlfriends on their shoulders. Hannah nervously took position and gulped at Lydia's determined smile. Beetlejuice brightened at her competitive side, always having thought it was cute how she put her all into even the most trivial of things. She glanced at him for a moment, and he conveyed his wish for her to win through the eye contact. She gave him a winning smile and turned away, taking his breath with her. If only she knew what she did to him…

Tiffany counted down from three, and soon the girls were wrestling, each twisting and turning to try and get momentum on their side. It didn't take long for Hannah to get overwhelmed, and soon she was tumbling off Akil and into the water. Everyone cheered and laughed, impatiently calling for the next match to start. Gabby and Tom won easily, Walter's strength having gone out before Tiffany's balance. She splashed him in annoyance but they soon kissed and made up. The last game was Beetlejuice and Ashley versus Gage and Lydia. Gage scowled at Beej when they came close enough for the girls to start wrestling, and Beej returned it with a taunting smirk, coming in close to rub his cheek against Lydia's shin while she was distracted. Gage's widened with disbelief, but with the position he was currently in, he was powerless to do anything about it.

"Son of a bitch," he growled, unable to be heard by anyone else but Beetlejuice over the cheering and splashing of water.

"Lydia seems to like my mom just fine," he replied nonchalantly, throwing Gage off his guard once again.

Gage was shocked so much he did not notice the shift in weight as Lydia began to tumble, and he was unable to catch her as she fell. Beetlejuice reacted immediately, tossing Ashley off his shoulders and diving into the water. Gage stood back in alarm when Beetlejuice brought her up sputtering once again. She didn't know how to swim? She'd never told him that!

"Hey babes, ya okay?" he questioned with genuine concern. He'd seen her go down with her mouth wide open (no double entendre intended) and knew she'd end up choking (again, not intended).

Lydia tried to answer, but all that came out was a fit of violent coughing, and Beetlejuice dutifully patted her back like he'd done so many times before. However, instead of calming her like usual, it had an opposite effect. Lydia freaked, pushing away from him and into Gage's arms. Beetlejuice stood dumbstruck for a moment, his brain not fully comprehending what had just happened. That was the **second time**! Gage also drew a blank, but that didn't stop the triumphant smirk he shot the other male's way.

The boyfriends hadn't noticed Lydia's strange behavior, but the girls did.

XxXxXxXxX

"What the hell was that all about?" Ashley demanded.

It was lunch time, and the boys had all dutifully set off to satisfy their girlfriends' needs for food. The girls all sat in the picnic area on stone benches circling round, stone tables. It was very uncomfortable, and the stone often rubbed their exposed skin raw, but it was the only place they were able to get some semi-privacy without looking suspicious.

"What?" Lydia mumbled, but she knew exactly what her friend was talking about. The way she avoided everyone's gaze proved it.

"Did you and Beetlejuice have another fight?" Hannah questioned worriedly.

Lydia shook her head no.

"Then what is it?" Gabby huffed.

Lydia swallowed, eyes darting around nervously to make sure none of the boys were around.

"If I tell you will you promise not to think anything bad of me?"

The girls all softened at her tone. She sounded scared, and ashamed. And they were finally going to find out why. Taking another deep breath, Lydia told them. They were silent for a long while.

"He…molested you?" Hannah spoke finally.

"Now you just made it sound awful!" Tiffany snapped.

"No, he didn't know he was doing it Hannah," Lydia reassured, offended at her words but keeping her emotions in check.

"But you liked it…didn't you?" Gabby ventured.

Lydia bit her lip and blushed.

"Then why did you freak out when he touched you?" Tiffany pondered.

"Well…" Lydia began, but words failed her. What happened had **never **happened before. When he'd saved her from drowning at first, nothing was out of the norm. It was only after they started cuddling had it appeared. Heat. Scorching heat. It had seared across every inch of skin making contact with his. It had happened so fast Lydia's mind was unable to register it and her instincts had kicked in to get away from the pain. It was such a bizarre moment, Lydia honestly had no words to describe it. The second time he saved her she had just been skittish, jumping away with fear of being burned again. The heat hadn't come, but she was still afraid.

And the fact that she didn't even know **what** it was was driving her insane!

"I think I know," Ashley suddenly chimed. All heads turned to her. "You said you liked it when he touched you before, right?" Lydia begrudgedly nodded. "Sooo, every time he touches you noooow, all you feel is the effects he had before!"

She looked so proud of herself Lydia couldn't help but smile.

_I doubt it…_Lydia thought. _But I might know how to find out._

XxXxXxXxX

_Meanwhile, at the concession stands…_

"Hey, scoot over, I can't reach the relish."

"Dude! You just got ketchup on my trunks!"

"Anyone see the mayonnaise?"

The boys huddled around the main condiment table decorating hotdogs with all the toppings they knew their girls' loved. They made an odd group, all varying in looks and sizes, and really only had one main thing in common. Their girlfriends were friends (excluding Beetlejuice) and so therefore **they** were forced to be friends. They didn't dislike each other's company, which was a plus, but the same couldn't be said for Gage and Beetlejuice.

"What the hell are ya doin?" Beetlejuice snarled, snatching the mustard out of Gage's hand.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he snapped back, careful not to take out his annoyance by squishing the soon-to-be-Lydia's hot dog.

"Lydia doesn't like mustard," Beetlejuice deadpanned, his tone suggesting how obvious the detail should be. He tossed the mustard carelessly over the shoulder, his glare not wavering from Gage even when the bottle smacked a middle aged man right in the forehead. "Geez, how long have you two been date'n?"

Gage's nose flared with the energy it took to keep his mouth shut. The other boys had gone silent, watching warily. Beetlejuice curled his lip at Gage and turned, offering the others a twisted but friendly smile.

"I'll be back."

Then he set off to get Lydia a new hot dog.

"Can you believe that guy?" Gage growled in frustration, throwing his hands up and then chomping down on what was now **his** hot dog.

"What do you mean?" Walter asked dumbly. He shrunk back from Gage's death glare.

"Actually…" Akil piped up reluctantly. "He isn't really…**doing** anything."

"Yeah," Tom backed up. "He's just pissing you off."

Gage stared them down for a moment, his breathing heavy and his stance tense. Then he turned and walked away, muttering something about "going to find Lydia". Once he left Beetlejuice showed up, effectively scaring the shit out of the others.

"Where's he goin?"

The boys all shrugged then jumped when Beetlejuice suddenly clapped Walter on the shoulder. A serious look clouded his gaze as it swept over all the boys. They gulped.

"I've gotta question," he began in a low voice. "And I want ya to answer truthfully."

The teens waited with baited breath.

"…Is Lydia mad at me?"

Walter, who looked ready to pass out, relaxed. Akil and Tom furrowed their brow in confusion.

"Uh, I don't know, why?" Akil asked. Beetlejuice's toxic eyes locked onto him.

"Didn't ya see what happened?" he sneered. "She booked it outta my arms like I was gonna rape'er or someth'n!"

Walter and Tom flinched, but Akil seemed to become genuinely interested. His fear of Beetlejuice began ebbing away as they talked.

"You mean when you helped her out of the deep end?" he asked, referring to before they all got in the pool. Beetlejuice nodded, and for the first time let his guard down in front of someone other than Lydia. The boys started at the sudden raw emotion taking over his features, and they all impulsively gathered closer.

"Yeah, I mean we kinda had a fight yesterday, but we made up!…I think…"

"A fight? What was it about?"

Beetlejuice shrugged. "I don't know! I just came over and she acted like I had a disease! Wouldn't come near me or anyth'n…" He bit his lip in thought for a moment before his eyes widened and he smacked his forehead. "Shit…"

"What?" Walter asked anxiously.

"I think I know why she was so weirded out," he began with a chuckle full of remorse. "I thought I heard someth'n…" he grumbled, then noticed the rest of the group giving him impatient looks. "I think she might've came to my place while I was fuck'n some woman," he explained bluntly. "She musta saw us."

What Beetlejuice didn't know was that it was because Lydia had been turned on by the sight that she had wanted to put distance between them that day. And he also had no clue what he had done in his sleep either. So until Lydia told him **exactly why **she was wigging out, a lot of shit was about to hit the fan.

Beetlejuice thought she was disgusted by him.

The boys thought she was jealous.

The truth though, was that Lydia didn't know **what** the hell to think.

XxXxXxXxX

"About time you guys got here!" Tiffany exclaimed, snatching her hotdog from Walter and digging in.

"Where's Lydia?" Beetlejuice asked while handing Ashley her hotdog. He was immediately alarmed by Lydia's absence.

"Gage took her away," Hannah supplied, curling up to Akil.

"He looked pretty mad," Gabby said, slapping away Tom's wandering hands.

"Looks like he's still got that temper," Ashley sighed, her face creasing with worry.

"What?" Beetlejuice hissed, surprising everyone. "Where's that bastard? If he hurts her-"

"Beej! Calm down!" Gabby cut in, placing a hand on his arm to stop him. "He's not gonna beat her or anything!"

"Yeah, he's just got these anger issues," Tiffany added. This did not quell Beetlejuice's hidden fear.

"He's always been like that," Akil explained. "He's really mellowed for Lydia. You remember when they first met?" he asked, turning Hannah.

"Yes, that was pretty bad."

"What happened?" Beetlejuice questioned her, and his tone indicated he wanted answers **now**.

"W-Well, um, I don't know if…" she flushed under his intense stare, unsure if it was okay to tell him since Lydia hadn't. But after looking up, she saw a plead, not a threat in his eyes, and she remembered the Beej she had met at the sleepover. He was crass, but caring, and he deserved to know even if Lydia didn't want him to. "Okay, okay. It was almost two years ago, Lydia was a freshman, and I was a sophomore…"

"_Hey, mind if we stop by the baseball field over at the boys school?" Hannah questioned her new friend Lydia as they rode home together. The fair skinned girl nodded shyly, and Hannah smiled shyly back. She noticed her new friend never really spoke too much, and the only reason they met was because they both rode bicycles to and from school on the same road. It would have been rude not to talk to her, and Hannah had been surprised by how nice the younger girl was. Turning off onto a gravel path the girls giggled at the consistent bumping that made their voices shaky until it finally smoothed out into a dirt road._

"_So what are we doing here?" Lydia questioned when the baseball field came into view._

"_I'm visiting my boyfriend," Hannah admitted, the title filling her stomach with butterflies._

"_I take it must be nice," Lydia laughed at her flushed face._

_Hannah grinned and skidded to a halt. The girls parked their bikes against a row of metal bleachers before going up to a chain linked fence. Hannah's gaze flitted around the sweaty boys in uniform searching for her hubby. She squinted at the faces hidden behind baseball caps until she finally found his familiar face._

"_Which one is he?" _

"_Number fifteen," Hannah pointed out. "He's talking to number one."_

_Right after she finished number fifteen looked up and smiled. Lydia nudge her friend and silently conveyed her approval. Hannah blushed and waited as he jogged over._

"_Hannah," he breathed, briefly nodding to Lydia as so not to be rude. "New friend?"_

"_Yes, her name is Lydia. Lydia, this is Akil."_

_Akil tipped his hat and Lydia awkwardly waved back. Akil seemed to be amused and grinned, then focused his attention completely on Hannah._

"_So we still goin tonight?" he question, referring to some previous plans they had made._

"_Actually, that's why I came over. I'm sorry, but I have to watch Louis tonight," she apologized, but Akil was quick to remedy the problem._

"_Don't worry, I can still come over and watch a movie with you guys. I love that little squirt." _

_Akil then opened the fence gate and enveloped Hannah in a hug. Lydia stepped back and shifted uncomfortably on her feet. As she tried not to stare at the oblivious couple she noticed another player coming over and opening the gate. It was number one, the boy Akil had been talking to._

"_Hey asshole, you can't just leave like that," number one stated nonchalantly while taking off his cap and wiping the sweat from his brow. Lydia took in his jet black hair and dark tan with innocent curiosity, noting how the boy was actually rather handsome and older looking than he really was. Number one noticed her stare and looked her up and down. He smirked, a dangerous glint flashing in his icy eyes._

"_Hey vampire, ain't you suppose to wait till sundown before come'n out?" The boy grinned when Lydia's eyes shot wide at his comment. He then stepped closer until he was only a couple inches away. She strained her neck to look up at him, and his lip twitched at her refusal to back away. "What's wrong little vampire? Miss'n the light?"_

_Hannah gasped and Akil clenched his jaw._

"_Gage shut up! That's Hannah's friend!"_

_Gage shrugged and laughed._

"_So? I mean look at her! She's so pale she's gotta be a-"_

_Gage was interrupted by a fist suddenly clocking him in the jaw. The boy stumbled back in shock, eyes shooting over to the girl he'd been making fun of. Lydia stood angrily with her fists up, tears glistening slightly in the sunlight. Hannah quickly grabbed her friend and tried to comfort her as the tears started streaming. Lydia had always been able to take Claire Brewster's criticism because she was a girl, and Lydia knew how to handle girls. But she had never been insulted by a boy before, having never been around them much and completely naïve of their typical behavior. She knew Beetlejuice was rude, but that was just it, he was rude. This boy was cruel, see could see it in his eyes, and Lydia just couldn't stand it. _

_Gage didn't speak to them when they left, but Hannah could feel his eyes burning into Lydia's back. Akil shouting at him was the last thing they heard as they pedaled away._

By the end of the story everyone was speechless. Until Beetlejuice spoke up that is.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" he shouted, reducing a group of nearby children to tears with his menacing growl.

"Seriously!" The twins chimed in.

"How the hell did they get together?" Tom exclaimed incredulously.

"This does not compute," Walter fretted.

"Do you know how they ended up dating?" Ashley questioned, trying to keep a cool head.

Hannah looked to Akil for support, and he sighed, sliding closer to her before beginning **his** tale.

"Well, Hannah visited me a lot at the baseball field, so it was bound for Gage and Lydia to meet again."

"_Hey! Vampire!"_

_Hannah swallowed nervously as Gage came running up to them at the fence. It was the third visit she'd had Lydia with her, and for a while, Hannah thought the first encounter had blown over. Akil, who was already with them, gave him a warning look. Gage ignored him, eyes piercing daggers of challenge into Lydia. Hannah turned to Lydia ready to grab her in case things got ugly again, but she was surprised to see Lydia not look upset, only annoyed._

"_What do you want werewolf?" she shot back, and Gage faltered a bit. It took a moment to realize she was referring to his unusually sharp canines and back teeth, as well as his shaggy hair and stubble. He huffed, speech failing for a moment._

"_Why're you always here now?" he snapped, his cruel teasing seeming to dwindle into anger._

"_They ride on the same road home," Akil answered wanting Gage to leave Lydia alone. Gage smiled mockingly, his eyes glinting with a dark promise._

"_Guess I'll just have to scare you away then."_

"That bastards gonna die," Beetlejuice growled.

The group shifted nervously at his protective side, unable to believe how deep his emotions went for Lydia. They had no doubts now that he cared for her, but they still weren't too sure about Lydia. What would happen if she ended up really getting serious with Gage? It would surely tear this guy apart.

"But that still doesn't tell us how they got together!" Tiffany complained.

"What did Gage do to try and scare her off?" Tom questioned.

"He made fun of her every day he saw her," Hannah continued. "Lydia never let it get to her though. She always had about three more insults for every one he threw at her." Beetlejuice grinned at that, nodding his head with pride and affection.

"But after a couple weeks…" Akil began, scratching his head in a sheepish manner. "I started noticing a difference."

"How so?" Gabby asked.

"Well…"

_Akil glanced over from his right field position at Gage and Lydia. He wasn't close enough to make out their fight (which is what they always did) but he was able to see their expressions. Hannah looked flustered from her spot to the side, bothered (as usual) by their rather hostile banter. But something was…different. Lydia had her normal annoyed air about her, and her mouth was set in its usual tight frown she gave only Gage, so nothing was off with __**her**__. However…__**said**__ boy was acting a little…strange. His posture was not tense with anger. In fact, he seemed rather relaxed while taking her biting comments. When he managed to say something particularly clever that caused Lydia to focus her gaze elsewhere, Akil was stunned by the sudden gentleness overtaking Gage's cruel eyes as he scanned her face. Though, they hardened once more when she turned away. He unconsciously stepped forward when the girls began to leave, his hands coming up to grip the fence so tightly his knuckles turned white. A bit of hurt flashed over his features at her lack of goodbye. It was the first time Akil had ever seen him sad about __**anything**__._

"That's when it all started to change," Hannah said with a smile now. "He…well he started being nicer. A-And he didn't insult her anymore."

"Not that that stopped her," Akil chuckled.

"So, what? Did Lydia just fall into his arms or someth'n?" Tom snorted with a roll of his eyes.

"Of course not. Lydia actually kind of got forced into dating him…"

"_So listen. I'm tired of you always come'n around here just to bite my head off," Gage stated as he ignored Hannah's nervous look. Before Lydia could retort, he continued. "So I'm tell'n you from now on I want you to be nice and be my girlfriend."_

_His sudden, and seemingly random request shocked Lydia speechless. Hannah gaped, Akil and the team tensed, and Gage waited impatiently for her to say something._

"_Don't act like you don't want to," he continued cockily. "Either you're a cleat chaser or not. If not, don't bother come'n around anymore."_

_Lydia stared at him in stunned silence, and everyone within earshot waited with baited breath. Nobody had ever rejected Gage whenever he wanted them, but this time, there was no telling what would happen. However, they didn't have to wait long._

_Gage smirked when Lydia relaxed, and his chest puffed even more when she smiled sweetly._

"_Then I guess this is goodbye."_

_And with that, Lydia left._

"So…she rejected him? Then how-"

"Walter! For god's sake let them finish!" Gabby yelled, completely absorbed in the story.

"Okay, now how was she **forced** into dating him?" Ashley asked worriedly.

"Actually, that was kind of my fault…" Akil trailed. "It was about a week later when the team dragged me to the road that the girls took to get home…"

_Akil stood anxiously next to his team members as they blocked the girls' way home. Number seventeen stood at the front of the crowd and was the first to address Lydia as she stepped off her bike._

"_Date Gage," he stated immediately._

"_No," Lydia replied bitterly._

_She jumped when the boy suddenly dropped to his knees, his head bowed and his pride swallowed._

"_Please," he begged._

_Lydia stared in shock as the others followed suit, all dropping down and pleading. The only one who didn't was Akil. He looked away in silence._

"_We can't take it anymore," one piped up._

"_He's always pissed off," said another. "And he's running us down into the ground!"_

"_His drills are inhumane," seventeen continued. "And we've had a couple members fracture bones because of it. When you were there Gage really started to turn around! But…now…"_

"_If he doesn't stop, we'll have to quit."_

_Lydia blinked, her brow creased with confusion and worry. She seemed to think about it for awhile before her gaze slipped over to Akil. He couldn't meet her eyes as she stared at him for answers, but his shameful look was all she needed to decide._

"_Okay," she sighed. "Where is he?"_

The group all stared at Akil with stunned silence.

"Wow," Tom breathed. "That sounds like it'd make a pretty dramatic movie."

"So…what? Did Lydia just grow to like him?" Gabby asked after slapping Tom on the arm.

"Yeah, he really mellowed out after that," Akil said with a shrug. "After awhile they seemed like the perfect couple."

"But now that Beej is around-" Ashley began before quickly clamping her mouth shut.

Beetlejuice was still there. Sitting right beside her. Quietly fuming. Everyone tensed at the rage practically seeping from his pores. He hadn't seemed to have heard her slip up, so absorbed in his own thoughts he paid no mind to what was going on around him. He was hurt beyond words by the stories he'd just heard. Why hadn't Lydia come and told him Gage was bullying her? Her reasonings for not telling him she had a boyfriend were his fault, but not telling him she was being harassed? What drove her to think that was okay?

"Fuck…" he said aloud, burying his head in his hands. Where had he gone wrong…?

"Gage!"

Everyone turned in time to see Gage storming around the corner with a fretful Lydia trotting to keep up. His stride was heated, but in his eyes, he looked broken, and Akil got a face full of it as he stood up to stop him.

"Hey man, what's wrong?"

Gage slowed to a stop. Lydia stood behind him, one hand extended but not daring to touch his back. Tears were in her eyes as she whimpered his name, but he only briefly glanced back before shoving Akil out of the way.

"We're through," he whispered hoarsely.

And then he was gone.


	12. AN

Hey guys, sorry for not updating. I'm using the internet at my mother's work right now. My internet hasn't been working all summer because my computer has a virus.  
I don't have the money to fix it right now so I won't be able to update anything anytime soon. Thank you however to all my wonderful reveiwers for sticking with me :). I hope that whenever I do get my internet back you will still want to read my work.

Love you all. 


	13. Villans Preventing Present Kisses

"What is the matter with you!" Prince Vincent seethed as he halted Gage from leaving the parking lot of the public pool.

Gage's devastated expression slipped a bit at the sudden appearance of his so called 'Guide to Lydia's Heart'. He briefly wondered where the fuck he had came from before processing the question.

"What do ya mean? Do you even know what happened?"

Vince, not wanting to give his ghostly identity away, feigned ignorance.

"All I saw was you bidding Lydia farewell! And not in a very pleasant manner…"

Gage growled, not even thinking of questioning where the other boy had been when he saw him breaking it off. His mind was numb as well as his heart, and the anger on his face crumbled into despair.

"Just tell me what happened," Vince said in a gentler tone, hoping to somehow remedy this rough patch in his plan.

Gage quivered and sat bonelessly on his motorcycle. For some reason he didn't even care that he was about to spill his guts to this shady character, he just wanted to get it out and hopefully out of his life.

"Well, me and Beej got into a fight that really got me goin, so I went to find Lydia to try and cool down…"

_Gage stormed away from the condiment area and over to the eating one. Lydia was taken by surprise when she was suddenly yanked from her friends and dragged away. She had yelled for him to stop, complaining that his hold was too tight, yet he did not slow his pace. Gage dragged her farther into the building and Lydia began noticing less and less people seemed to travel to these areas. Moments passed before they were finally alone, and Gage angrily slammed open a door that led into a dully lit room. It held a single pool and nothing else, the only light source available were ones lining the bottom of it. Gage abruptly stopped and stood tensely, shifting from foot to foot in his agitation. The biting remark died on Lydia's tongue as soon as she realized what was happening. He was having a relapse, his past temper rising after all the hard work she had put into taming it. She knew not the cause, but it must have been bad to get him this riled up._

_ "Gage…" she began gently, touching his arm and feeling his muscles relax slightly. "Gage what's wrong?"_

_ Gage swallowed hard, blinking back his rage in an effort to not disappoint her. He slowly turned and closed the distance between them. Lydia obliged and wrapped her delicate arms around his strong body. He engulfed her with his own and squeezed tight, causing Lydia to squeak with mirth._

_ "Gage, I can't breathe."_

_ He chuckled and sighed, letting go to step away. Lydia gave him a questioning look, but all she received was a devilish glint. Before she was able to scream Gage grabbed her up and threw her in, diving quickly afterwards in order to pull her up to the surface. Lydia sputtered and glared as he held her lovingly to his chest, knowing she wouldn't be able to stay in this deep of water without having him to hold on to. Her annoyance ebbed away as he continued to hold her, and she understood that right now it would be the only thing to comfort him. But she still needed to know what was up._

_ "Gage," she mumbled into his neck._

_ "Hmm?" he inquired, enjoying the vibration of her voice._

_ "…please tell me what happened."_

_ Gage didn't say anything for awhile. In fact, he didn't say anything to her for the rest of the time they shared in that room. Lydia jumped a bit when he began moving, carrying her over to the wall of the pool and pressing her against it. She closed her eyes at the feel of his lips on her forehead…cheeks…nose…chin…neck…_

_ Her brows furrowed as he continued to nuzzle her usual sweet spots. _

_ Something was…off._

_ Normally her breath was hitched and she was panting by now, especially when he ran his tongue along the shell of her ear. But…what she felt now was…_

_ Nothing._

_ Of course there was still the tingle between her legs from her__** natural**__ body's response, but emotionally it wasn't as...stimulating. She grunted a bit when he suddenly ground too hard. _

_ "Gage wait..."_

_ He silenced her with a kiss and continued his movements. Lydia desperately tried to get into it like she normally would have, but the feeling was wrong. It just wasn't right._

_ "Gage I mean it...quit-"_

_ His grip tightened and he became more aggressive. It became clear now that he was not in the right state of mind and cold fear ran up Lydia's spine. She had to stop him. She had to before he-_

_ "STOP!"_

_ Gage was pushed away with all the strength she could muster. His breath hitched at her teary face and the sudden dread he felt snapped his mind back on the right track._

_ "What the hell do you think you're doing!" she yelled before curling away from him._

_ Gage's breathing became shallow as what he was __**about**__ to do came rushing back._

_ "Lydia-" _

_ He stopped when she slapped his hand away, and that's when his anger took over._

_ "Lydia I'm sorry!" he shouted. "I didn't mean to-"_

_ Grinding his teeth he glared at her fearful stare._

_ "This is all about __**him**__ isn't it?"_

_ Lydia flinched, knowing exactly who he was referring to._

_ "I'm right aren't I?" He suddenly gave a harsh bark of hollow laughter, throwing his hands in the air and swimming slightly away from her. "Ever since __**he**__ found out this whole...__**relationship**__ has gone to shit! __**He's**__ the reason why we're so fucked up right now Lydia! And you __**defend **__him!"_

_ Lydia gripped the edge of the pool tighter, sobbing silently as he continued thrashing her with truth she had been denying this whole time. She knew he was right, but really, it wasn't Beetlejuice's fault at all._

_ It was __**her's**__._

_ She could have stopped this, could have listened to Gage more and thought of things from his point of view. Hell, she could have sat Beetlejuice down for a talk to get their current relationship straight. But no, she had let things progress to their state now, let complications build and fester until they were practically suffocating the host._

_**I'm such a bitch...**__she thought as she watched Gage's broken features through bleary eyes. __**This is all my fault...**_

_ She had been stringing them both along without even realizing it, and now she knew she didn't deserve either one of them._

_ "Why is he so important to you anyways? He's just a perverted middle aged man who got his claws on a minor! Do you know how sick that is Lydia?"_

_ Lydia was surprised at the flare of anger at the accusation, even more so when the instinct to defend Beetlejuice was as strong as ever. But she knew Gage had no clue how deep their friendship ran, and may never find out. It made it that much harder to take his verbal thrashing. He would never understand._

_ Gage had gone on for awhile, stopping only when his throat was raw and breath short from all the yelling. So when he opened his mouth a final time, his words were hoarse, cracked, and broken._

_ "I'm not dealing with this, I'm done. Thanks babe, it was fun, but I don't need you anymore."_

_ And that was the end of it._

Vincent stared at the sobbing boy who was now a broken pawn in his plan. He held no sympathy, only anger at his failure. Turning silently, Vince walked away without another word.

XxXxXxXxX

Vincent wandered through his castle, however, not aimlessly. He ignored bowing servants and even the royal adviser as he strode further into the more unexplored areas. He had been thinking of this recent development between Gage and his beloved, wondering if there was even a sliver of hope to save his plan. The uncertainty only annoyed him more, which disabled his ability to think, so it was out of desperation that had him striding purposefully to the castle's library. However, almost nobody in the Nietherworld besides the royal family knew of what the library truly contained.

"Ah! Young master Vincent! What a pleasant surprise!"

Vincent flinched at the small man slouching in front of the massive library doors. He was yellow and balding, warts protruding from his large nose and sprouting like cauliflower from the inside of his ears. His teeth were all but gone, his tongue black with hair, and his breath rank with the smell of what could only be described as hell.

"Yes, indeed it is bookkeeper," Vincent replied, eye twitching when the unpleasant man giggled like a young child.

"Follow me young prince, I know the book of which you seek."

Vince followed him inside what looked like an ordinary library you would see in the human world, only thousands of times more massive. He was led to a table that held a thin hardback book with the swirling colors of black and red. The bookkeeper pulled out the chair for him and bowed with an unnerving gleam in his eye.

"I've been waiting for quite some time you know," he giggled as he began to trudge away. "I love the way you're interfering! Love stories where nobody wins have always been my favorite!"

Vincent ignored his fading laughter and gently picked up the book. It was simply titled, Lydia, and Vince slowly traced her name with his index finger. This was her life, sectioned off however the reader seemed fit at the time. The books in the library were recordings of every creature's living memories, as well as dead ones. It went from pharaohs, to monsters, to squirrels, everyone had a book, even himself. Breathing deeply he opened it up, the book syncing with his mind briefly before showing him what he wanted.

Gage and Lydia's first date.

_ "Geez, at least smile," Gage huffed as he and Lydia strolled down the streets of Winter River towards the movie theaters._

_ "Why should I?I'm not happy. Don't you want me to be honest about my feelings?" she snapped, her tone brightening slightly in mock innocence._

_ "Bitch," Gage muttered, and Lydia only snorted._

_ "Really now, how original."_

_ Gage sneered and then reached for her hand. Lydia slapped him away._

_ "God! What now? I just want to fucking hold your hand!"_

_ "Sorry, wouldn't want my bitchiness to rub off on you."_

_ "Why are you such a fucking hard ass?"_

_ "Because I don't want to be here!"_

_ Gage glowered and stormed away. Lydia rolled her eyes and sighed, remembering why she was even here in the first place. She needed to be sorta-kinda nice to this guy so he wouldn't be so pissy all the time. Fighting wasn't going to get them very far._

_ "Gage wait," she called after him._

_ He stopped and turned as she jogged to catch up, a smug look plastered on his face._

_ "Came to apologize?"_

_ "Originally yes," she sneered. "But now I don't know if you deserve it."_

_ He laughed and grasped her hand before she could complain. He half dragged her the rest of the way to the ticket booth and noticed that the lady working it was not half bad looking._

_ "What's a girl like you working at a time like this?" he began with a charming smile._

_ The girl batted her eyelashes and smiled coyly back._

_ "Gotta earn money somehow, my parents are trying to kick me out."_

_ "Tough shit," he said, but he was far from interested in her family life. "You got a boyfriend? Cuz if I were him, I'd be taking care of you."_

_ He heard Lydia scoff behind him and mutter an "oh please". The girl turned her attention to Lydia and sneered._

_ "Is that your little sister?" she asked, voiced laced with venom and a slight hint of a threat._

_ Gage looked over his shoulder and then back with a smirk. _

_ "Nah, that's my girlfriend."_

_ The way he said it made Lydia want to punch him in the face again. He acted like she was his latest conquest, one he was very proud of himself for like it had been the hardest thing in his life. Blood boiling she was about to just walk back home when she heard the girl say-_

_ "She's pretty ugly."_

_ Whipping around Lydia was about to give her a piece of her mind when Gage beat her to it. Without missing a beat he said, "Not as ugly as you bitch. Now give us the tickets and keep the change. You'll need it when your parents come to their senses and finally kick your ass out on the streets."_

_ Lydia was more than shocked at the sudden change in demeanor, and strangely touched at his crass way of defending her. _

_**Wow,**__ she thought. __**He acted a lot like Beetlejuice for a second there.**_

_ It was true, some of the ways he acted had Lydia reeling at the similarities between he and her best friend. She decided they probably wouldn't like each other though. Beetlejuice rarely got along with anyone besides her, and Gage seemed to be not a very likable person either. If they met they would probably clash._

_ As Gage dragged her into the theater and ignoring the crying ticket lady, Lydia came to a decision. _

_ This was going to be a secret, especially from Beetlejuice._

_ No matter how much she disliked this guy, she did not want to see him on the receiving end of the poltergeist's rage._

Vincent chuckled at Lydia's internal thoughts, shaking his head at how bad of a decision she'd made. He continued reading through their time together, scoffing at Gage's constant attempts to kiss her and almost outright cheering when Lydia continued to foil his plans of subduing her. Though, as he continued to read, he began noticing the changes in which marked the turning point of the couple's rather complex relationship.

_ Gage walked beside Lydia through the mall in her search of the possible purchase of a new camera. He snorted in annoyance at her lack of attention when he spoke, not liking it when she took photos if he wasn't the subject. That meant less time with him, and anytime taken away from these dates, whether it be from one of her friends, one of his, or inanimate objects, he was going to get payback. If she ever suggested going to a museum Gage would blow his top._

_ "Oh! This is perfect!"_

_ Gage grumbled as she fawned over what looked like the newest camera on the market. And the most expensive._

_ "Just forget it, you'll never be able to afford it."_

_ When she turned away Gage felt better, glad she was no longer paying attention to something so stupid. His smirk fell however at Lydia's absolutely crushed expression, muttering something about "amazing shutter speed". He flinched when she didn't even look at him, so disappointed she just turned right back around towards the exit._

_ "Lydia wait!" he started, grabbing her arm and making her face him. "Why do you want this camera so bad?"_

_ Lydia sniffled, feeling like a spoiled child that hadn't gotten what she wanted._

_ "There's a photography contest coming up next week, and I just thought getting a newer camera would help me win. But I guess you're right, I'll never be able to afford it in time."_

_ Gage sneered at the use of his words against him, not liking the way she was making him feel like shit._

_ "Well fuck Lydia!" he began. "You don't need a new camera to make your pictures even better! I haven't seen them but...but I bet they're better than everyone else's."_

_ Lydia stared at him as he rubbed his neck. He wasn't very good with words, but she appreciated his attempt at supporting her. She knew he didn't really like her hobby of photography, but she was grateful for at least trying to make her happy. That reminded her of the time when Beetlejuice first became the Deetz's handy man. The whole point of the facade was to earn money to make __**sure**__ her photo was sold in the last contest. He could be sweet beyond belief, and it seemed Gage also carried that quality._

_ The similarities between the two just kept piling up._

_ "Come on, I'm hungry," Gage finally said, grasping her hand hard enough to make sure she couldn't jerk away. He was surprised however when she made no such attempt, only relaxing in his hold and swinging their link slightly as they walked. The date ended in contentment._

That was the tenth date when Lydia began consenting to consistent physical contact. She no longer grumbled or complained of his hand holding, nor did she retort with such venom when conversing. He too had changed, his words becoming less crass and comments less offending. He no longer insulted her unless it was pure teasing, and even then it was watered down. Lydia seemed to have finally accepted him as a tolerated friend, and it was on the seventeenth date when she finally allowed him to kiss her. It wasn't anything too special, like a kiss in the movies where the main character finally figured out their feelings with just that one touch of the lips. Just a simple end of-of-the-date kiss that ended quite badly...

_Lydia laughed as Gage tripped down the uneven sidewalk away from the restaurant they'd just exited. She shot him a smirk as she gracefully side stepped all the cracks and hazardous rubble from the construction site only a few feet away. Her time in the Neitherworld, what with all the crazy landscapes and having to run away from sandworms __**through**__ said landscapes, gave her a lot of practice with coordination._

_ Gage grinned and feigned tripping into her, then ended up tripping for real and taking them both to the ground. Lydia yelped and tensed, but Gage flipped them over just in time to take the brunt of the fall._

_ "Ow..." he grunted when a sharp pain throbbed at the back of his head._

_ "Dumbass," she chided with a smile, laughing when he sneered and switched their positions once more._

_ His annoyed look melted into a genuine smile as he watched her face light up with mirth from their rolling on the pavement, and soon he realized what sort of position they were in. Lydia's smile faded as she too realized what was going on, and her body tensed when Gage slowly lowered his head. Out of instinct, when he their lips were close enough to touch, she quickly turned so he got a mouthful of cheek. Anger flared within him at her action and he grasped her chin tightly before smashing his lips to hers. Lydia struggled and grunted as he pushed her down into the coarse pavement, finally just giving up and laying there so he would stop squishing her. Surprisingly, his grip loosened, and the kiss became more gentle. Lydia relaxed as she began to welcome the nice tingling coursing across her lips, almost forgetting how angry she was at him for forcing it on her. When he pulled away he stared down at her flushed face with an almost shocking expression of gentleness._

_ Then he grabbed her boob._

_ The night ended with Gage alone on the sidewalk nursing his sore cheek and grimacing at the bruise shaped like a small hand._

That had sent them back a bit, but Gage had learned his lesson. It wasn't until half a year had passed before Lydia finally recognized him as something more than a friend, for she had finally began to develop a genuine liking of him. After a year, they began to explore each others bodies. Lydia always stopped it before it went too far however. Gage was obviously frustrated, and he more than once pushed her to tears by ranting about his apparent "need". But eventually, he began to understand she would give in when she was ready. And after he realized and accepted that fact, his own feelings became quite clear.

He was falling in love.

Vince tsked and shook his head. The boy was foolish to fall in love with Lydia. **Anybody** living was. She no longer belonged to the world of those with beating hearts, figuratively at least. Just about everybody in the Neitherworld knew that. Traveling between the two worlds as much as she had really did a number on her soul, and the higher ups seemed not to have minded it, for no action had been taken to prevent the tainting of her life. Lydia was lucky however, not many who had been accepted wholly by the Neitherworld were able to keep such strong bonds with the world of the living. Yes, there had been very few before her, but none had been able to continue with their former lives. Their soul had been branded, giving off an aura that drove away the living and not understanding why. Eventually it had became unbearable and they found that suicide was the only answer. Vincent knew this because a few of them worked as servants in his castle. But this was not to be the case with Lydia. She was able to maintain friendships, retain the love of her family, and even acquire the loyalty of a boy that once held distaste for her. She was a rare case indeed, and it was probably all thanks to Beetlejuice.

Surprisingly enough, Beetlejuice was one of the few spirits who retained most of their humanity after death. Most souls changed completely, becoming cold and isolated or wild and destructive. Beetlejuice however, though a bit more sporadic and wild than in his life, still held on desperately to that spark that made him human, and it was that spark that had allowed him to connect with Lydia. His friendship with Lydia was unique, and it was his remaining humanity that anchored Lydia from completely losing herself in the Neitherworld. He was her life line just as much as she was his. If it wasn't for Lydia, Beetlejuice would have also lost himself. Maybe not as quickly, but after the first three hundred years of his death he began to give up. And it was when he met Lydia that he had something to fight for once again, which ultimately led to his taming and happiness. Everybody in the Neitherworld knew Lydia was Beetlejuice's weakness, and vice versa. They would die for each other (Beetlejuice again), which they have over the years proved countless times by throwing themselves in the way of danger to protect the other.

Gage didn't have a chance, and it was then that Vince finally felt an inkling of pity for the boy. Finally finishing the book Vince knew Lydia cared deeply for Gage, but it was not the way the boy wished it to be. And the worst part is, it was almost the same exact way she cared for Beetlejuice. Both were destructive, angry, and emotional roller coasters when it came to their inner demons, and Lydia had sensed that in Gage just as she had sensed it in Beetlejuice. Her handling of Gage sprouted from previous times when she first met her ghoulish friend, the patience, the understanding, and the love. The two cases were almost identical. All except for the fact that she was physical with Gage, yet her bond with him would never be as deep as the one she shared with Beetlejuice.

Vince frowned deeply and tossed the book haphazardly on the table. There seemed to be nothing he could do now that Gage had been reduced to a weeping mess of a broken man. This was his first heartbreak, and the first was always the hardest to recover from.

"Young master, please. There is always something you can do to prevent the joining of that...horn dog and the lovely Lydia."

Vincent jumped at the giggling maniac hovering over his shoulder, quickly putting some distance between them by standing.

"And how do you suppose I do that?" he questioned with a sneer, straightening his crisp clothing.

The bookkeeper threw his head back in a shrill cackle and looked at the prince with menacing glee.

"You could always inform the counsel of his...actions...involving Lydia. You know, his wandering hands!"

"Are you referring to Judge Mental? What could he possibly do to-"

"No, no, no, you foolish boy! I meant...**the** counsel."

Vincent's eyes widened at the suggestion. No, he couldn't possibly do that! He knew of the recent events having taken place between Lydia and Beetlejuice, and if the annoying ghost decided to go further (all the way in fact), reporting it would surely get Beetlejuice a death sentence! It was illegal for a ghost to even take the first kiss of a human, the punishment involving three hundred years locked away in the burning pits in the center of Saturn, the land of the sandworms. But to take the chastity of a human...the ghost would be exorcised! For if a ghost or any creature from the Neitherworld were to be the first to join body and soul with a human, that would enable the living to become pregnant with the dead. Vince knew of only one such child, the one the humans had dubbed Dracula. It wasn't his real name of course, but he had been the result of a poor, frightened maiden and a lustful, blood sucking monster from the Neitherworld. The creature had been dealt with of course, but it still shook Vince to the core at the thought of the dead being killed once more, their existence being completely erased.

No, he wouldn't report to the counsel of actions that had yet to have happened. He may have hated Beetlejuice, but he would never wish the fate of exorcism on anybody.

It was too bad the little yellow man watching him leave had other plans.

**A/N: Well, look who crawled back to the land of fanfiction...OH DEAR GOD I'M SO SORRY FOR LEAVIIIIIING! Forgive me?**


	14. Actions Aren't Stronger Than Words

Back at the pool, Beetlejuice watched with a worry creased face as the girls all piled into the twin's Camaro and drove off. It had taken much convincing from Akil to keep Beetlejuice from chasing down Gage and beating him to a bloody pulp for making Lydia cry, and even more convincing from Ashley to give Lydia space.

"Hey, just calm down man!" Akil said once again as Beetlejuice paced the worn concrete.

"Fuck!" he growled, scaring a nearby group of kids. "Lydia needs me right now!"

"I think you're the last person she needs right now," Walter managed to squeak, cowering even more when Beetlejuice stormed over to him.

"And why exactly would **that be?**" he hissed at the smaller boy.

Walter trembled in fear and Beetlejuice continued to glare, waiting impatiently for an answer.

"W-well, p-part of her troubles involve you d-don't they?"

Beetlejuice narrowed his eyes and stepped back, his stance tense with anger but eyes filled with uncertainty.

"Yeah," Tom stepped in. "Weren't you the one that started this is in the first place?"

"We're not trying to be the bad guys here," Akil began cautiously. "But it's the truth. This is kind of your fault."

Beetlejuice glared at them all silently, then with a huff he turned and left.

XxXxXxXxX

Lydia sat alone in her room, heavy sobs wracking her body as she wiped snot on one of her I-don't-give-a-damn-today sweaters. Crying was never fun, and if there was any such thing a pretty crying, she sure as hell wasn't doing it. She was a messy crier, always had been, and this fact had never bothered her, only because Beetlejuice congratulated the snot-fest she created.

She took in a shivering breath at the thought. Beetlejuice...what had happened between them? What caused all of this...change? She wiped a wad of snot on her sleeve again and sniffled up the remnants. She didn't want to see him, not right now. The childish part of her begged for his presence to comfort her like he always had in the past. Even if he was the cause of her distress, the familiarity always calmed her in a way no one else could. The rational part of her however knew that if he came right now she would probably blow up at him. It's happened before, and the words she expressed stung them both. But they always pulled through. No matter how many times they fought, no matter how much he made her want to pull out her hair, she could never stay mad. Nor he. But this situation was not like the rest. For the first time ever, Lydia doubted the outcome of their friendship.

"Lyds!"

Lydia flinched when Beetlejuice popped into thin air behind her. She could tell by the way that he wasn't poking and prodding her with questions that he was angry.

"I can't believe those chumps! They're blaming **me** for Gage breaking up with you!"

Lydia's eye twitched. There he went again, acting like he played absolutely **no** part in this. It was always the same...

"I mean, what gives them the right to accuse me? I didn't do anything wrong!"

Lydia's rage flared and her eyes screwed shut. He always did this, always feigned ignorance, and she knew he usually learned from his mistakes. But right now she didn't have the patience. This was going to end.

"It's not my fault Gage is such a-"

"Would you stop with the bullshit already!" Lydia finally screamed, whipping her head around to meet Beetlejuice's shocked face. Tears fell down her cheeks with renewed vigor and her throat tightened with emotion. "Just stop!"

Beetlejuice watched her stand, hands twitching with the instinct to aid her when she stumbled. He worried at her puffy eyes and running nose, cursing himself for not noticing earlier. Of **course** she would** still** be crying! She had just gotten dumped! He had been too angry with Gage for making her upset that he forgot to be worrying about **her**.

"Lyds-"

"What? What is it now Beetlejuice? Are you going to deny responsibility like you always do?"

"Lyds what-"

"Well I don't want to hear it!"

Her screaming had toned down now due to the roughness of her voice. It scratched painfully as she breathed and her eyes sharpened to a deadly glare. In another time and place Beetlejuice would have congratulated her on the scary appearance, but not when he was subjected to it.

"Babes just calm down," he began cautiously with his arms raised in surrender. He floated down to his feet and tried to step closer, but the sneer he received ceased the action. "Listen, jus tell me what you want."

Lydia tried to swallow the lump in her throat but it only made more tears well up. Beetlejuice watched with relief as her stance relaxed and her gaze turned to the floor. He was about to go in for a hug before she cut him off.

"I want you to stay away from graduation tomorrow," she said referring to Ashley and Hannah's high school graduation.

Beetlejuice's brow furrowed in confusion. That was all she wanted?

"Babes what does that have to do wi-"

"I just don't want to be near you right now," she whispered harsh enough to be heard. Her throat was killing her, and she doubted she'd be able to converse much more with him without going into a coughing fit.

For once, Beetlejuice did not back down and give into her immediately. He suddenly felt a rush of anger at her attitude rather than begging for forgiveness.

"You think this is all my fault?" he asked in disbelief.

Lydia looked him straight in the eye and gave a look that said that was **exactly** what she thought. Beetlejuice curled his lip at her and she returned the action. They looked like a pair of dogs ready to rip each others' throat out.

"Well you know what? It's not! It usually is but not this time Lydia!"

He took a step forward and did not back down when she shot him a warning.

"If your so called "relationship" with Gage had been solid none of this would have happened!"

"Then why did you even bother?" she yelled, though it came out broken and squeaky. "Why couldn't you have let us crash and burn on our own?"

Beetlejuice's eye twitched and he honestly couldn't believe she was asking that. Crash and burn? He'd never want Lydia to be hurt in **any** way! All he'd been trying to do was break them apart before **this** happened! All he had wanted to do was **protect** her! But he realized now all he'd done was fuck up. It was always the same. He tried to help, he'd fuck up, and then Lydia would always be there to pick up the pieces. **Always**. Why couldn't she do it? Why wasn't she being the strong one right now? Beetlejuice was at a loss, he'd never been the one to save them from mental distress. Prevent a forced marriage with Billy the Crud? Sure. Push aside his fear of being eaten by a sandworm to save the child she babysat? No problem. But this...this was a matter of the heart, and he'd thought he'd lost his a long time ago. Now however he realized his heart was still alive, still beating, and it was in the form of a scrawny little teenaged girl. Beetlejuice dropped his tense stance and looked at her sadly, broken. It really was all his fault, he couldn't do this to Lydia anymore. He couldn't expect her to forgive him every time he hurt her. It was time he finally did something right. Something...honest.

"I'm sorry."

Lydia's breath hitched as she stared into his eyes.

He'd apologized.

He wasn't being forced.

He hadn't even broken eye contact.

Lydia's anger melted off in waves at his sincere expression. That was all she needed, and she was too numb to be surprised by how little the action was that caused her to calm down. This was raw emotion, something he almost never even expressed to even **her**, the closest person to him in his entire after life.This was what Beetlejuice was **really** feeling. No masks, no douche-baggery to cover up his wounds, just **him**. It broke down her defenses like they were paper thin. Honesty was her kryptonite. Closing her eyes she released a sigh and let a small smile grace her lips. It was over now...they could go back to the way things were. They could still be friends and she could even try to patch things up with Gage. They may not be able to get back together, maybe not even become friends again. But as long as she could smooth over their relationship, Lydia was pretty sure she could move on. It was over now...it was all-

Suddenly Lydia felt wind in her hair and a soft pressure on her mouth. Her eyes popped open to see Beetlejuice's closed as he kissed her. Scared out of her mind her reflexes took over.

She slapped him.

A small squeaked escaped her mouth after the action. She'd never struck him before, not unless he was going out of his mind and the only way to bring him back was to beat some sense into him. Beetlejuice stood before her with his head turned to the side. He didn't look shocked that she had hit him but the hurt was in his eyes. Too bad Lydia was too busy freaking out to see it.

"WHAT THE HELL BEETLEJUICE?!" she screeched as a small hand flew up to her mouth. She didn't wipe it in disgust, just merely touched it. "I thought you were going to stop! Why did you do that?!"

Why? He snorted to himself. Because he wanted to show her how he felt. Actions were always stronger than words right? He wanted to show her how much he cared about her, and that she was pretty much the **only** person he cared about. He wanted to show her how he wanted to protect her, to make her happy, and continue to do so just as he had before. Hell! She already knew he practically worshiped her from the little tour she took through his mind with his conscious. So how come this was so difficult to explain? Why? Why had he done it? Her question throbbed at his temples. Because...because...well because he-

"Because I love you."

Lydia stared at him as the words sunk in. It seemed as if he hadn't realized he'd said it and her breath hitched when they finally hit. His head snapped towards her and they both mirrored each others' wide, almost horrified eyes. Lydia wasn't mortified like he however, just shocked. Her hands grew clammy and fingertips tingled the longer they stood there.

Love?

She hadn't realized she whispered it aloud until Beetlejuice had begun to back away. He looked to be crumbling on the inside and Lydia acted on impulse. She reached forward to prevent him from getting any farther but Beetlejuice was too fast. The last thing she saw was his broken, toxic green eyes before the hand she had reached out clamped down.

All she had grabbed was smoke.

**A/N: Okay, SUPER short chapter but I just wanted to get it out there. I'm lazy...**


	15. Drunken Sex That Never Happened

Lydia clapped along happily with the hundred other parents as their children made their way across the stage, snagged their diplomas, shook the principal's hand, and then booked it right back off. A few tears had pricked when Ashley and Hannah took the ceremonial trip, but she was happy nonetheless. Right beside her the twins were hoot'n holler'n to other friends Lydia had cared not to get to know. It didn't matter now anyways, she wouldn't ever see those people again. When Gage was up Lydia tensed as his eyes searched the crowd briefly. When they finally met hers she had to force from shrinking back. His gaze lingered a bit before he walked off leaving Lydia feeling cold and empty.

"Man, this stinks," Tiffany pouted as the graduation came to a close, the only things left were a couple of speeches.

"At least Ashley passed school," Gabby snickered and Lydia couldn't help but laugh as well.

It wasn't until about an hour later the girls finally regrouped, what with gushing parents and relatives to tolerate. Ashley and Hannah hugged the others excitedly and began chatting away about when they would need to hang out again.

"Hey girls, how 'bout you come over to my graduation party? My uncle rented out this club just outside of Winter River."

"Really? Awesome!" the twins exclaimed.

"If you don't mind me coming late, I can go," Hannah smiled.

"Of course! I know you've got you're own family to celebrate with."

Lydia jumped when all four pairs of eyes landed on her expectantly.

"What? You think I'm gonna say no?"

The girls squealed and tackled her in a hug. Lydia grunted but was happy to have her friend's warm embrace. Even if...it wasn't her **best **friend.

"So uh..." Ashley trailed off looking nervous. The twins and Hannah developed the same look once they caught on. "Is...will Beej be coming?"

Lydia's eyes widened in surprise. Beetlejuice? They wanted him to come? Lydia had no idea the girls had liked him so much! And even though she had told them about last night they **still** wanted him to hang out so soon? Of course she knew they weren't asking to try and play cupid, they genuinely like Beetlejuice for the friend he had become to them. But still...

"Sure," she said with a weak smile. "I'll ask."

The girls seemed to relax and they all went back to chatting about university and plans to hang out. After about twenty minutes they all said their goodbyes and wrote down directions to the club. Lydia made her way to her bicycle slowly, biting her lip and badgering herself about selfishness. She wasn't going to ask Beetlejuice to come tonight. In fact, she was sure she wasn't going to talk to him for **several** days. Unless he approached her first, Lydia was going to take a breather. Though she desperately wished to be in the Neitherworld during her little break, the only way to get in was the chant and calling Beetlejuice's name. Right now, that was the last word she wanted to leave her lips.

XxXxXxXxX

It was around eight o' clock when the twins pulled into the driveway of the club. Hannah and Lydia stepped out from the back seat and stared up at the neon building that Lydia swore would blind someone if they stared too long. It was quiet outside but they knew inside the place was booming with heavy basses and teenagers dancing up a storm. Ashley came out and waved them over to the entrance where a big burly man stood in all black gripping a clip board that was only a bit bigger than his hand.

"Last name," he grunted through teeth clenched around a cigarette.

"Malik," Hannah said nervously, intimidated by the enormous man.

He seemed to catch on to her fear and smiled gently.

"This your first time at a club? Don't worry, I'm here to protect all the little ladies from those rowdy boys."

"Oh," she breathed in relief at the man's attempt at not seeming so scary. Ashley giggled and patted the big man on his outrageous bicep.

"Don't worry about Tony girls, he's got two daughters at home and they're his life. He's a good guy."

The girls all giggled and Tony let Hannah pass over to Ashley.

"Names."

"Adler," the twins chimed.

"Deetz," Lydia joined.

Tony looked down the list and then eyed them suspiciously.

"You gals aren't seniors are ya?"

Ashley punched his arm.

"Okay, okay, but only because it's **your** party Mrs. Smith. No more after them though, this is **seniors only**."

Ashley gave him a smirk and rushed inside. The girls trailed after her and almost fell over from the force of the music. The bass was heavy and low, the girls could feel it travel from their toes all the way to their temples. They watched as their former classmates sweat up a storm and ground against each other with no shame. Lydia guessed it didn't really matter, it was the last time they'd see each other.

"Love the outfits by the way," Ashley praised.

She herself wore a rather skimpy magenta top that ruffled at the plunging neck line and short sleeves. A black belt wrapped around her waist that matched her black leggings. Her heels mirrored the color of her top and her curls were tamed to perfection that were sure to run wild again by the end of the night. Tiffany and Gabby were wearing identical outfits, sharp blue loose sleeved tops and dark gray skirts. Their fishnet stockings blended nicely with their black heels and heavily mascaraed eyes. Hannah was a lot more modest, dressed in a simple red top that was tight enough to show her curves, a black skirt and black flats. Lydia had thought long and hard about her outfit after lying to her friends about Beetlejuice not being able to come, giving a lame excuse about having to fix a leak at some unknown persons' house. She'd gone through all her possible outfits, all possible combinations, but nothing seemed to be right.

That is, until she stumbled upon **it**.

"I love your dress," Gabby gushed and the rest of the girls agreed.

"Hey," Tiffany whispered to Ashley. "Isn't that the same pattern Beej always wears?"

Ashley nodded as she stared at Lydia's black and white, vertically striped sleeveless dress that flared just an inch or two above her knees. Her legs weren't bare however for she wore horizontally (not vertically) black and white striped tights with the heeled knee high boots Beetlejuice had given her as part of her new Neitherworld outfit. She'd bought the dress a few weeks ago when Beetlejuice had promised he'd take her out dancing for her seventeenth birthday. She wanted to match his suit and top hat she knew he wore on special occasions, and the thought that he was actually going to celebrate her birthday this time and acknowledge her age had brought a smile to her face. It was only a couple days away now, but she wasn't so sure how those plans would pan out. Not after all the crap they've been through.

"Well come on girls! Let's dance!"

The group let out a cheer and headed out to squeeze into the growing mass of sweating bodies. For the most part they all danced together, a boy or two would come in but they'd leave soon after when they refused to grind up on them. Lydia was proud as Ashley turned away from yet **another** contestant in favor of bumping hips with her. Even if her relationship was crap, at least Ashley was loyal. The twins however were having a bit more fun by confusing the boys. One of them would begin dancing only to slip away into the crowd, the abandoned boy would then turn only to be confronted by the other twin, confusing him on just how she'd gotten there after heading in the exact opposite direction. Hannah shyly swayed her hips until Akil came and swept her away. The girls didn't mind the intrusion but it turned out to have a been a distraction as Lydia was suddenly taken away as well.

Strong familiar arms circled her waist and Lydia almost cried when she realized who it was.

"Hey," Gage muttered as his chin rested on her head.

"Hey," she whispered back, and even though the music was pounding and teens were screaming they were able to hear each other.

They swayed slowly, ignoring the fast paced beat. Lydia hugged him and sighed into his chest. Well, she'd wanted to talk to him and here he was. At least he seemed to want to talk like a civilized person rather than yelling. He was such a good guy, she really didn't deserve him.

"So is it really over?"

Lydia leaned back and stared into his icy eyes. Even though he'd been the one to call it off he wanted **her** to have the finally decision? He was giving her a second chance! Lydia was so shocked all she could do was gape like a fish. They could be together again, he **wanted** them to be together again. She could see it, he was desperate...

No, he wasn't desperate, she realized with a start.

He was in love.

Staring into his blue eyes she suddenly forgot how much she use to love them. The color was wrong. Green...green was the color she wanted, the only color she wanted to gaze at her with...with love. She looked away, overwhelmed with confusion and fear. She couldn't be with Gage, not like this. She couldn't lie to him, not even to herself this time. There was just no way she could love him back the way he wanted her too.

"Yeah," she choked, trying to hold back the tears and remain strong. "It's...it's over."

Gage's hope was crushed but he did not crumble. Instead he stroked her cheek and smiled. It was hollow, just like his eyes, and she hated it, but it was what she expected.

"I love you," he admitted, and Lydia gave a broken laugh.

"I know."

He kissed her for the final time, and it was the saddest one she had ever received. There was no warmth, no passion, no promise, just a goodbye. Lydia squeezed her eyes shut and kissed him back gently. Her kiss was an apology, and he accepted it with a smile, a sad one, but at least it was real this time. They hugged for a bit longer before separating, and as Gage left Lydia's chest tightened. Their entwined fingers untangled and he finally turned away, leaving Lydia to stare at his retreating form.

As the tears flowed Lydia gathered the strength to speak once more.

"See ya werewolf!" she shouted over the noise of the club.

Gage turned and grinned, tears streaming down his own face to match her own.

"See ya vampire!"

With a laugh Lydia watched as he was quickly swallowed by the crowd and when she turned she was met by the pitying expressions of her friends.

"Come here sweety," Ashley said gently as she engulfed Lydia in a hug.

"So, are you guys cool?'' Akil asked but flinched when the girls gave him a murderous glare.

Lydia laughed and wiped her nose.

"It's okay guys," she said to the girls. Then she looked at Akil. "Yeah, we're cool."

"Well then let's get you cleaned up," Gabby offered with a smile. "This party's just get'n started!"

XxXxXxXxX

After getting cleaned up in the club's massive bathroom (which girls **still** managed to clog up) the group danced nonstop for another good hour before Ashley declared she needed a drink.

"Are they free?" Tiffany asked as she sat down at the bar.

"Yeah, my uncle loves to spoil me."

Lydia sat in between Tiffany and Gabby. All she wanted was some water, but it seemed Ashley had other plans.

"Five shots please!"

The twins cheered and Hannah and Lydia gaped.

"What? You've got alcohol?"

Ashley nodded with a grin.

"Course! What kind of party would this be if I didn't? Don't worry Lydia, security outside is ready to round anybody drunk who tries to drive."

Hannah and Lydia breathed a sigh of relief. It must have been nice to have a ridiculously rich uncle who absolutely adored you. The bartender quickly served their drinks and Ashley and the twins threw them back. Hannah pushed hers aside, dubbing herself the designated driver when she saw the twins weren't holding back. Lydia eyed the clear liquid hesitantly. She'd never had alcohol before, not even with Beetlejuice. He said the Neitherworld stuff was too strong for the living and her parents had never offered her any. She thought back to Gage and how when he was upset he would drink. Beetlejuice did it too. She remembered he tried to hide it, the fact that after a fight he would storm off to a bar and get so drunk Jacques had to go and drag him home. Sighing Lydia began to feel depressed again. Beetlejuice always tried to shield her from all the bad things he did. The smoking, the drinking, the violence...she was never around when they happened. She always had to hear it from Jacques or Ginger when they explained why he had to stay in bed. It use to make her happy how he always protected her, but now she felt annoyance. She was a young adult! Almost a grown woman! She could handle the bad things he did!

"Oh yeah! Go Lydia!"

The girls cheered as she picked up the shot glass and stared at it with determination. With a quick flick of the wrist Lydia threw her head back and downed the liquid, sputtering and tearing up as the it burned its way down her throat. Slamming the glass down Lydia gestured for another. The bartender laughed and refilled the glass, chuckling something about "teenagers" and "newbies".

As she downed the next one Lydia found it easier. Was this why Beetlejuice drank after they fought? Because it got easier? Lydia's head felt a little lighter and she could barely hear her friends calling for different drinks. Yes, it did get easier. She was able to stop thinking about him for a moment as she savored the buzz. More, she needed more. She needed to get him completely out of her head, and the alcohol was doing it's job.

Just for now, she would forget...

...just for now.

XxXxXxXxX

Beetlejuice chugged a bottle of Neitherworld alcohol equivalent to that of the living world's vodka. The stuff was cheap, weak, and tasted like shit, but it was all he could afford. Tonight, he'd just have to settle for blowing his money without even receiving a buzz. The bartender, a man that looked relatively normal other than his sliced throat, watched Beetlejuice while cleaning his station.

"Girl trouble again?" he asked without stuttering in fear or disgust, as most people would have. However, Beetlejuice was one of his regulars, and over the many years the two had formed a sort of acquaintanceship that bordered friendship, what with the drunkenness causing both to spill their guts and life stories to one another all the time. The bartender knew Beetlejuice only came into the bar for only two reasons. Either he just wanted to pick up chicks or he and Lydia had a fight. Beetlejuice had been sitting there drinking ever since the day before, so he knew it was the latter. And when he said girl trouble, both knew he was referring to Lydia.

"Oh, I've fucked up big time," he groaned, tossing his bottle at a nearby customer. The ghost was too drunk to even feel the glass break on his head.

"Oh yea? How so? Did you finally kiss her?" the bartender joked.

Beetlejuice's silence made him almost drop the glass he was cleaning.

"You didn't! Shit! You really did fuck up didn't you?"

Beetlejuice growled and reached in his pocket for the cash he owed. He didn't feel like talking right now, all he wanted to do was see Lydia.

"Aw, don't be like that," the bartender teased. "You gonna see her now?"

He was answered with a nod.

"Well, try and talk to her, I'm sure she'll understand."

Beetlejuice snorted at the man's ignorance. If it was that easy, he wouldn't have left in the first place.

"I told her I loved her," he mumbled, more to himself than anything else.

The bartender stared at him in silence, the words he was about to say dying on his tongue. Beetlejuice had said he loved someone? No way! The poltergeist didn't love anyone but himself, he'd been blabbing about that fact for hundreds of years! Come to think of it though, the bartender realized he'd never **actually** met Lydia in person. All he knew about her was from what Beetlejuice told him (in his drunken state) and rumors from other customers. The rumors were more helpful though, because Beetlejuice would never admit to have gone soft. The tales of their adventures were whispered almost constantly throughout the bar and how the once vicious ghost was now Lydia's lap dog. He did everything she said and risked his very existence more than once to just try and bring a smile to her face. He'd heard them, but never believed them, only because he'd only seen Beetlejuice whenever he **wasn't** trailing behind Lydia like an excited child. When he was without her Beetlejuice still acted like a wild animal, causing mayhem and running rampant through the Neitherworld whenever he felt bored. But the bartender had to admit ever since Lydia came into the picture he'd toned down his destruction quite a bit. Maybe he really **did** love this Lydia girl.

"See ya Chuck," Beetlejuice said with a half hearted wave.

The bartender shook his head and began counting the bills left behind.

It seemed **nobody** knew his name.

XxXxXxXxX

Lydia stumbled into the house after being dropped off by Hannah. Plastered and dazed she barely noticed her parents asleep on the couch and Maxwell sitting in his playpen on the floor watching reruns of Ninja Turtles. The stairs proved to be quite a challenge as they multiplied and spun, and after the third time falling down, Lydia just crawled up them. Once in her room she sighed at the cool feeling of her carpet as it gently scratched her face. It was her first time being drunk and she honestly didn't know what to do. She was too tired to change into pajamas, but how was she going to get into bed? It was so high up...like, twenty feet. In her drunken haze Lydia wondered how she ever got into bed without the use of a ladder all these years. A giggle suddenly bubbled from her lips. She had an idea.

"Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!"

It took a moment, but after hesitating Beetlejuice stepped out from Lydia's mirror. He stared down at her in surprise only to be met with a goofy grin.

"Beeeeej!" she sang, raising her arms and reaching for him. "Help me get into bed!"

Beetlejuice huffed at her but did as she said, rolling his eyes as she squealed when he made her float onto the bed. Now wasn't the time to dwell on his problems, right now he needed to take care of her.

"Babes, what the hell did you do?"

Lydia puffed her cheeks at him when she sensed a lecture coming on.

"Relax! I just had a couple drinks."

"A couple? You're completely smashed!"

Lydia blew him a raspberry and rolled onto her stomach.

"What? You're gonna sleep in your clothes?"

He noticed she was wearing the striped dress she bought but quickly dismissed it. She just wore it tonight because it looked nice, it had nothing to do with him.

"But I'm so tired..." she whined, and Beetlejuice heaved a sigh. Using his juice he poofed her into a sleeping gown and washed off her makeup. Lydia turned over again and gave him a smile.

"You're always there for me aren'tcha?"

Sitting up slowly she patted the spot next to her. Beetlejuice hesitated, not sure if it was such a good idea to be near her. Eventually though he floated over and sat down.

"Come on Lyds, lay down and go to sleep," he began gently as he attempted to coax her under the covers.

"Lay down?" she asked in confusion. The look was fleeting however when it was replaced with a giant grin. "Okay!"

And with that she fell into him. They tumbled down into the covers with a soft thump, Beetlejuice panicking and Lydia giggling. She latched onto his suit and rubbed her head in his chest. Beetlejuice swallowed his surprise and once again tried to gain control.

"Lyds, please, just-"

"Did you mean it?"

Beetlejuice halted at her question, knowing immediately what she was referring to. She was staring down at him now, her brown eyes shining with alcohol and curiosity. He swallowed hard again. This was not going to end well.

"Lydia- Mmph!"

The young girl had captured his in a slow, almost lazy kiss. Beetlejuice didn't dare close his eyes, fearing he would lose all sense in control. He gently pushed her away but she only whined and fought him. Their lips connected again and Beetlejuice began to realize he was fighting a losing battle.

"Lyds you don't know what you're doing!" he protested but she ignored him.

_She's drunk_, he reminded himself. _She doesn't really mean it..._

But it didn't matter what he told himself, the fact of the matter was right now, Lydia was kissing him, and he be damned if he wasn't going to try and protect her from regret.

"Stop!"

With a surprised squeak Lydia was tossed and suddenly flipped to the bottom. Beetlejuice hovered over her with the most frustrated look on his face she'd ever seen. Her drunken haze dimmed a bit as she stared at him. He was controlling himself she soon realized, and probably all the big talk he did behind her back about wanting to jump her bones was just that. Talk. He didn't want it so badly that he would take advantage of her while like this, even if **she** was the one to initiate it. She sobered up even more when he growled and made a move to pull away, but she stopped him once again. Grabbing his suit lapels she pulled him into a hug, and when he was able to pull back she gave him a loving smile. Beetlejuice gulped at it, feeling his defenses crumble once again. They laid like that for a bit, he hovering over her, torn between leaving and staying, and she just smiling, waiting for him to make a move.

She didn't have to wait long.

_It doesn't mean anything..._hetold himself as he leaned down to kiss her forehead.

_It doesn't mean anything..._he began to chant as their lips finally met again.

Over and over he told himself the same thing as the two continued to kiss, he tentatively and she happily. He didn't know what to say. His head hurt from emotional overload and all he could do was follow her lead. She was the only one who could do this he came to realize. She was the only one able to have control of any kind over him. With a defeated sigh the phrase that haunted him since yesterday came barreling out of his lips.

"I love you," he found himself whispering into her neck. She didn't answer him, but he didn't expect her too. Only just now was he able to accept the fact himself. He'd never loved anyone before, not like this. In the past, he'd loved Lydia as a friend, the kind of love he thought was the only kind he was capable of. But now...this was painful. He didn't like this love. He hated it. It made him feel weak, vulnerable, and it was all Lydia's fault. **She** was the one hurting him right now. **She **was the one causing him so much pain. Lydia was the source of all his sadness, all his depression, all his **anger**.

And he couldn't get enough of her.

Lydia's breath hitched as he nipped her neck. This was it. This was really happening. This was **real**. Her drunken, dream like state was all but gone now as she gripped the back of his jacket and wrapped her legs around his waist. This was **Beetlejuice** she was kissing, holding, grinding against, doing all the things she never **dreamed** would even happen between them. She couldn't stop herself, **wouldn't** stop herself. It felt right, to be in his arms. She'd never felt like this with Gage. No matter how many times he would touch her, nothing he did could compare to Beetlejuice just kissing her. **This** was intimacy. To not only share physical pleasure but spiritual too. Beetlejuice was her best friend, and the bond she had with him was stronger than anything she'd ever had with Gage. Gently Lydia guided his face to hers and kissed him slowly. He made a choking sound in his throat and Lydia almost cried. This was what love felt like. He loved her.

But did she love him the same way?

Beetlejuice gripped her thigh and hoisted it higher. The stretch caused her nightgown to hike up, exposing flesh he grabbed greedily.

_I've gotta stop! I've gotta stop!_

But he didn't stop. Instead he savored the heat she radiated like a coldblooded animal. Burying his head in her neck once more, Beetlejuice shivered as her hot breath ghosted across his skin. It was so **hot**. Had she always been this hot? The straps of her nightgown slipped down and he greedily suckled her exposed shoulder.

Hotter...it was getting hotter!

Lydia whimpered at the love bites and began to try and wiggle out of the piece of cloth all together. He chuckled and snapped his fingers, juicing the sad excuse for clothing into oblivion. She wore nothing more, and Lydia gasped at the feel of their bare chests touching. When had he taken his shirt off? Oh yeah, she'd done it.

Beetlejuice hissed at the heat now burning his torso, every part of him she touched burned like it was on fire. What the hell** was** this?

"Beetlejuice..." she moaned with tears in her eyes. "It-it's so hot..."

So she felt it too? Something was wrong...this heat wasn't natural.

"Does it hurt?" he asked worriedly, the instinct to protect her breaking through his lust driven state.

"No, it's just so hot! I'm sweating!"

Beetlejuice chuckled and silenced her whines with a kiss. As long as it wasn't hurting her he could ignore the strange heat. He was startled though when he felt her hands sneak down to bands of his pants, and he shivered with want at her impatience.

_No foreplay huh?_ He thought with a grin. _And I thought I was the impatient one..._

Another snap of the fingers left them both completely nude and at once cried out at the sensation. Beetlejuice looked down at his friend, his love, his heart, and begged her with his eyes to save herself while she could. He didn't want this to ruin them, but right now he was weak. It was up to her to be the strong one. Did she really want to take this step with no hope of turning back?

Lydia gazed up at his conflicted green eyes and smiled. She was so proud of his control right now, and nothing could've made her happier. She wouldn't regret this, even if she was still drunk Lydia knew. They'd get through it together, they always have, and nothing, not even this, would change that. Lacing her arms around his heck she pulled him into a hug.

Beetlejuice winced as their parts rubbed intimately together with the action and his head was spinning too much for him to realize the heat was gone. She was whispering something, something important...His head spun faster at their contact and his vision was getting hazy. He couldn't focus on her words as she reached down and grabbed his- What? She said it again. Something...something about lov-

BOOM!

Beetlejuice instinctively covered Lydia with his body as her dresser mirror suddenly exploded. A wind rivaling that of a tornado's whipped through the room, knocking over everything and tearing off the posts of her bed.

"What the fu-"

But he was cut off by Lydia's screams as she was suddenly ripped from his grasp. He reached for her as she was flung across the room and towards her shattered mirror that now held a black, gaping vortex.

"BEETLEJUICE!" she cried as the darkness swallowed her and said ghost rushed to save her. The short trip wasn't short enough however as he ended up flying straight through the mirror's empty frame and crashing into the wall. Confused and angry he flew back and tried again, but the mirror was no more. Using his juice he concentrated on getting back to the Neitherworld but found he couldn't do it.

"No," he whispered in horror. Lydia's screams rang through his ears and the image of her tears made his ectoplasm run cold. "I..I can't go back..." He swallowed hard as fear and anger flooded his body.

She was gone, and he had no power to save her.

The Neitherworld had locked him out.

**A/N: COCK BLOCKER! I'm so evil :D. I know, I know, you all wanted a sex scene but I'm afraid there's more to the story than that. I actually have a conflict that isn't romantic! Don't kill me!**

**P.S: The song that inspired this chapter was Need You Now by Lady Antebellum. I was listening to it in the car on the way back from seeing Frankenweenie and thought it was the perfect (though cliche) way to get them finally on the way to sexy times! Then I listened to Whiskey Lullaby...then God's Will...let's just say I blubbered like a baby while writing this chapter.**


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